Radiation processes in poly(ethylene terephthalate) composite materials

The radiation - induced radicals in poly (ethylene terephthalate) - PET composite with polypropylene - PP and polyetherester KPEE have been studied by ESR spectroscopy. In pure PET matrix radicals are not stabilized at room temperature but in PET/PP composite (10-20% of PP) similarly to pure PP matrix peroxy radicals are recorded at room temperature with the concentrations indicating that radicals formed originally in PET units are stabilized during migration along polymer chain by PP units enabling the formation of peroxy radicals. In contrast, in PET/KPEE composite materials the radical processes are the same as in PET homopolymers. The changes of polymer viscosity in melting state prove that polymer degradation is major radiation effect in the majority of composite materials.