Abstract
Grafting by irradiation of polymers in the presence of, or followed by, treatment with monomer has been one of the most successful of all grafting methods and has been applied to an enormous number of polymer-monomer systems. Chemical bonds are ruptured in organic materials when they are irradiated with electromagnetic or particulate radiation of 100 eV or greater. Among the commonly used energy sources are Cobalt-60, electron accelerators, and nuclear reactors. Free radicals have been detected in irradiated organic systems, and if vinyl monomers are irradiated, polymerizations take place through a free radical mechanism. When organic polymers are irradiated, simultaneous cross-linking and degradation of the chains occur due to the formation of free radicals on the polymer backbone. Irradiation in the presence of oxygen, an effective free radical scavanger, produces peroxides and hydroperoxides within the polymer. In amorphous polymers which are in the vitreous state or in highly crystalline polymers, irradiation in vacuum, or even in the presence of oxygen, may lead to trapped radicals. Free radicals or peroxides formed on the polymer backbone by the radiation can be used to initiate the polymerization of different vinyl monomers, leading to graft copolymer formation.
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