Radiation-induced grafting polymerization by the ionic mechanism

Abstract

A technique of radiation-induced grafting under conditions of extreme drying of monomers has been developed. Under such conditions, radiation-induced grafting polymerization of isobutylene, α-methylstyrene, vinyl-n-butyl ether, styrene, acrylonitrile, and 4-vinylpyridine by the ionic mechanism at room temperature has been performed. The grafted copolymers of polyethylene, Teflon and polyvinyl chloride with monomers polymerized only ionically (isobutylene, α-methylstyrene, vinyl-n-butyl ether) have been obtained for the first time. The kinetics of the radiation-induced grafting of vinyl-n-butyl ether on to polyethylene have been studied; the ionic mechanism has been confirmed. It has been found that the rates of the radiation-induced ionic grafting of styrene, acrylonitrile, and 4-vinylpyridine are much greater than those for radical grafting. The highest grafting rates are observed for 4-vinylpyridine. The mechanism of radiation-induced ionic grafting polymerization has been discussed; generalized kinetic equations have been derived to account for the contributions from radical and ionic processes.