Amendment the physicochemical properties of polycarbonate/polybutylene terephthalate blend by gamma-ray irradiation doses

Abstract

In this study, blend of polycarbonate (PC)/polybutylene terephthalate thin films was used. This blend belongs to the class of polymeric solid-state nuclear track detectors. Blend samples were exposed to gamma-rays with different doses (55–355 kGy). The compositional changes, the changes of optical properties, the electrical parameters changes and surface morphology in the gamma irradiated samples were studied. Different techniques were used to study improving the physicochemical properties of the irradiated samples, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Visible spectroscopy, LCR Meter Bridge and scanning electron microscope, as well as, the roughness testing. Fourier transform infrared measurements exhibit that the degradation in the polymer chain occurs after irradiation with gamma-rays. This means that some functional groups are the most sensible groups to gamma-rays. UV–Visible spectra of the gamma exposed samples exhibited a shift in the absorbance edge toward the region of higher wavelength. This trend reflects a decrease in the band gap energy, which leads to an increase in the electrical conductivity of the samples. The outcomes of dielectric loss and dielectric constant are sensible parameters for whole frequency range to the changes in the structural and optical behaviors as a result to gamma irradiation. Additionally, the surface changes were discussed.