Features of the phase behavior of gamma-irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene powder

By using the technique of thermomechanical spectroscopy, an amorphous and three crystalline (high melting, intermediate, and low melting) blocks of the topological structures of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) powder were characterized and their behavior under γ-radiation up to 2420 kGy was explored. The powder has an anisotropic topological structure. Starting from a dose of 4 kGy, the structure is radically changed with the long-range orientation of chains in the intermediate and high melting crystalline blocks of PTFE being replaced by a short range orientation of cluster association structures. The temperatures of glass transition and melting point continuously decreased with an increased dose of irradiation. The influence of γ-radiation on the powder and sheet of PTFE are essentially the same, the formation of amorphous character.