Radiation‐induced grafting of styrene vapor to polyethylene

Abstract

AbstractThe radiation‐induced grafting of styrene vapor to low‐density polyethylene film of 0.063 mm thickness was studied at 23°C at a dose rate of 1.98 × 104 rad/hr. The concentration C of monomer in the film was measured as a function of pre‐irradiation exposure time to monomer vapor. The concentration‐dependent diffusion coefficient of styrene in polyethylene was calculated to be 4.9 × 10−9 exp {2.0C/C0} cm2/sec, where C0 is the saturation concentration of styrene in the film, and a linear boundary diffusion coefficient for styrene vapor into polyethylene film was found to be 2.0 × 10−7 cm/sec. The rate of grafting was determined as a function of the concentration of styrene absorbed in the film. The maximum graft yield was obtained with an initial styrene concentration in the film of 4 wt‐%. Under conditions of low initial monomer concentration, the grafting rate increases with irradiation time. The results are compared with previously published data on grafting of polyethylene from methanol–styrene solutions. They are explained in terms of the viscosity of the amorphous region as a function of styrene content and the resistance to the diffusion of monomer at the film–vapor interface.