Effect of gamma-radiation on the thermal and mechanical properties of a commercial poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)

BACKGROUND: Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) has attracted wide interest as a biodegradable polymer. However, its use is restricted in certain applications due to its low melting point.RESULTS: PBAT was treated using gamma-radiation. The radiation features were analyzed using Soxhlet extraction, and the ratio of chain scission and crosslinking and gelation dose were determined using the classical Charlesby-Pinner equation. The results showed that PBAT is a radiation-crosslinkable polymer. The degree of crosslinking increased with increasing radiation dose; the relation between sol fraction and dose followed the Charlesby-Pinner equation. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses showed that the melting temperature (T-m) and the heat of fusion (Delta H-m) of PBAT exhibited almost no change in the first scan. The second scan, however, showed a decrease in T-m and Delta H-m. The glass transition temperature of irradiated PBAT increased with increasing radiation dose.

Thermal and mechanical properties of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) crosslinked with gamma radiation in the presence of triallyl isocyanurate

Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) was crosslinked by gamma radiation in the presence of triallyl isocyanurate. The influence of gamma-radiation crosslinking on the thermal and mechanical properties of poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/triallyl isocyanurate was investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses showed differences between the first and second scans. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed an increase in the glass-transition temperature as a result of the radiation crosslinking of poly(epsilon-caprolactone). Thermogravimetric analysis showed that gamma-radiation crosslinking slightly improved the thermal stability of poly(epsilon-caprolactone). The 7 radiation also strongly influenced the mechanical properties. At room temperature, crosslinking by radiation did not have a significant influence on the Young's modulus and yield stress of poly(E-caprolactone). However, the tensile strength at break and the elongation at break generally decreased with an increase in the crosslinking level. When the temperature was increased above the melting point, the tensile strength at break, elongation at break, and Young's modulus of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) were also reduced with an increase in the crosslinking level. The yield stress disappeared as a result of the disappearance of the crystallites.

Preparation and physical properties of enhanced radiation induced crosslinking of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH)

Preparation and physical properties of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) crosslinked by enhanced radiation have been studied through various methods. It was found that the most effective agent for irradiation-crosslinking was triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) among four kinds of polyfunctional monomers. Gel content (65.6%) was formed for EVOH-44 (content of ethylene is 44 mol%) at 200 kGy with 5% TAIC, but for EVOH-32 (content of ethylene is 32 mol%), only 37.4% gel content was formed under the same conditions. This result showed that the more the content of ethylene units comprised in EVOH, the easier the chemical bonds could be formed between different molecular chains. Tensile strength and elastic modulus increased after crosslinking at high test temperature and elongation at break decreased at the same time. Hygroscopicity of EVOH showed noticeable decrease after enhancement radiation-crosslinking.

A novel route for the preparation of CdS nanocrystal-poly(acrylic acid) composites using gamma-radiation

CdS nanocrystals were synthesized through AOT/heptane/H2O reverse micelles. New stable reverse mikelles were obtained by adding an appropriate amount of acrylic. acid monomer, CdS nanocrystal-poly(acrylic acid) composites were synthesized by gamma-radiation with a reverse mi'celle route at room temperature. The US nanocrystals with narrow size distribution were, found to be dispersed homogeneously in the poly(acrylic acid) matrix. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

LDPE/carbon black conductive composites: Influence of radiation crosslinking on PTC and NTC properties

The electrical resistivity of low-density polyethylene/carbon black composites irradiated by Co-60 gamma-rays was investigated as a function of temperature. The experimental results obtained by scanning electron microscopy, solvent extraction techniques, and pressure-specific volume-temperature analysis techniques showed that the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) effects of the composites were influenced by the irradiation dose, network forming (gel), and soluble fractions (Sol). The NTC effect was effectively eliminated when the radiation dose reached 400 kGy. The results showed that the elimination of the NTC effect was related to the difference in the thermal expansion of the gel and Sol regions. The thermal expansion of the sol played an important role in both increasing the PTC intensity and decreasing the NTC intensity at 400 kGy.

Hydrogel of biodegradable cellulose derivatives. I. Radiation-induced crosslinking of CMC

Radiation crosslinking of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) with a degree of substitution (DS) from 0.7 to 2.2 was the subject of the current investigation. CMC was irradiated in solid-state and aqueous solutions at various irradiation doses. The DS and the concentration of the aqueous solution had a remarkable affect on the crosslinking of CMC. Irradiation of CMC, even with a high DS, 2.2 in solid state, and a low DS, 0.7 in 10% aqueous solution, resulted in degradation. However, it was found that irradiation of CMC with a relatively high DS, 1.32, led to crosslinking in a 5% aqueous solution, and 20% CMC gave the highest gel fraction. CMC with a DS of 2.2 induced higher crosslinking than that with a DS of 1.32 at lower doses with the same concentration. Hence, it was apparent that a high DS and a high concentration in an aqueous solution were favorable for high crosslinking of CMC. It is assumed that; high radiation crosslinking of CMC was induced by the increased mobility of its molecules in water and by the formation of CMC radicals from the abstraction of H atoms from macromolecules in the intermediate products of water radiolysis. A preliminary biodegradation study confirmed that crosslinked CMC hydrogel can be digested by a cellulase enzyme. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Radiation effects on the immiscible polymer blend of nylon1010 and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) I: Gel/dose curves, mathematical expectation theorem and thermal behaviour

This paper studies the radiation properties of the immiscible blend of nylon1010 and HIPS. The gel fraction increased with increasing radiation dose. The network was found mostly in nylon1010, the networks were also found in both nylon1010 and HIPS when the dose reaches 0.85 MGy or more. We used the Charleby-Pinner equation and the modified Zhang-Sun-Qian equation to simulate the relationship with the dose and the sol fraction. The latter equation fits well with these polymer blends and the relationship used by it showed better linearity than the one by the Charleby-Pinner equation. We also studied the conditions of formation of the network by the mathematical expectation theorem for the binary system. Thermal properties of polymer blend were observed by DSC curves. The crystallization temperature decreases with increasing dose because the cross-linking reaction inhibited the crystallization procession and destroyed the crystals. The melting temperature also reduced with increasing radiation dose. The dual melting peak gradually shifted to single peak and the high melting peak disappeared at high radiation dose. However, the radiation-induced crystallization was observed by the heat of fusion increasing at low radiation dose. On the other hand, the crystal will be damaged by radiation. A similar conclusion may be drawn by the DSC traces when the polymer blends were crystallized. When the radiation dose increases, the heat of fusion reduces dramatically and so does the heat of crystallization. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation crosslinking of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) and its heat distortion behavior

Poly(butylene succinate), (PBS1) was irradiated with Co-60-gamma radiation at various temperatures. The gel fraction of PBS I irradiated at molten state (100 degreesC) is higher than that of the samples irradiated at lower temperatures with the same dose. Two-step irradiation ( irradiation at room temperature and then irradiation at 100 degreesC) yielded the highest gel content as compared with other treatment conditions. It is due to the network structure formed by preirradiation at room temperature and further irradiation at molten state reduce degradation of PBS1. PBS1 prepared by the two-step irradiation was improved in heat distortion resistance because of its higher gel content. Unirradiated PBS1 sheets broke immediately at 110 degreesC. On the other hand, for samples (gel fraction 50%) irradiated by asing the two-step method, they did not break even at 130 degreesC for 200 min.

Radiation crosslinking of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) at high temperature

Poly(butylene succinate), (PBS) with different molecular weight was gamma -irradiated at different temperatures and various doses. PBS with high molecular weight and smaller peak area of crystal melting gave the highest gel content at the same temperatures and dose. A two-step irradiation (irradiation in molten state after irradiation at room temperature) gave the highest gel content in different conditions. This is due to the formation of network structure by pre-irradiation at room temperature that leads to less degradation. PBS prepared by two step irradiation was effective for improvement of heat stability because of high gel content formation. Unirradiated PBS sheets broke immediately at 110 degrees, while the irradiated sample (gel fraction, 50%) by a two step-method did not break even up to 200 minutes at 130 degreesC. The PBS sheets are biodegradable even after crosslinking.

Production of active oxygen species from Taxus cuspidata induced by far-UV radiation

In order to understand the role of active oxygen species in mediating plant injuries induced by far-UV radiation, seedlings of Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc. were irradiated by far-UV rays in laboratory for 4 weeks. The production of organic free-radicals in detached needles, and the production of O-2(radical anion) and O-1(2) in isolated chloroplasts were detected weekly by electron spin resonance (ESR) to evaluate their relative importance. The results show that the cumulative effect of far-UV irradiation, is best indicated by the production of organic free radicals in the needles, O-2(radical anion) production in chloroplasts is the next. The enhancement of O-1(2) production in chloroplasts by the cumulative far-UV irradiation seems to be not so important as O-2(radical anion) in mediating injuries induced by, far-UV radiation because of its high background value.

The effect of chain flexibility and chain mobility on radiation crosslinking of polymers

Radiation crosslinking of polymers mainly depends on the structure of polymer chain. The flexibility and mobility of chain directly influence the possibility of the reactive radicals recombination. Flexible chain is easier to crosslink than rigid-chain polymer. The latter must be crosslinked at high temperature, as most polymers can only crosslink above their melting point. Structural effect also influences the mechanism of radiation crosslinking of polymers. We find from the results in literature and in our laboratory that, the flexibility chain polymer mainly crosslinked with H type, but the rigid chain polymer mainly crosslinked with Y type. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Radiation effects on the immiscible polymer blend of nylon1010 and high-impact strength polystyrene (II): mechanical properties and morphology

The paper studies the morphology and mechanical properties of immiscible binary blends of the nylon 1010 and HIPS through the radiation crosslinking method. In this blend, the HIPS particles were the dispersed phases in the nylon 1010 matrix. With increasing of dose, the elastic modulus increased, However, the tensile strength. elongation at bleak and the energy of fracture increased to a maximum at a dose of 0.34 MGy, then reduced with the increasing of dose. SEM photographs show that the hole sizes are not changed obviously at low dose and at high dose, remnants that cannot be dissolved in formic acid and THF can be observed in the holes and on the surface. TEM photographs showed that radiation destroys the rubber phases in the polymer blend. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of electron radiation on crystal structure transition of trans-1, 4-polybutadiene

trans-1,4-Polybutadiene (PTBD) was synthesized by rare earth catalyst system, The effect of electron radiation on phase transition from monoclinic phase to hexagonal phase was observed by TEM, Electron diffraction patterns of monoclinic phase, hexagonal phase and two coexistent phases were recorded, The mechanism of phase transition was also discussed in this paper.