Gelation of poly(ethylene oxide) solutions by gamma radiation: Effects of molecular weight and irradiation conditions

✍ Scribed by R. A. Van Brederode; F. Rodriguez

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1970
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 450 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1970.070140408

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Reticulation of a dilute aqueous solution of poly(ethylene oxide) in a ^60^Co gammaradiation field yields a weak gel which is characterized by its damped sinusoidal oscillation in a free‐swinging torsion pendulum. A storage and a loss modulus are calculated from the log decrement and frequency of oscillation, and the crosslink density is obtained from the storage modulus using the kinetic equation of rubber elasticity. The number of crosslinks added to the polymer per 100 eV of energy absorbed in the polymer above and below the gel point and the fraction of gamma energy absorbed directly by the polymer were determined from the dose‐to‐gel and modulus data. The effect of oxygen on the crosslinking reaction and the temperature on the gel's mechanical properties were experimentally observed.