Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate onto chloroprene rubber membrane. II. Characterization of grafting copolymer

The cobalt-60 radiation-induced graft copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) onto a chloroprene rubber (CR) membrane has been studied in ethanol. The structure, morphology, crystallinity, thermal stability, and hydrophility of graft copolymer were characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential thermal gravimetric analysis, and contact angle test methods, respectively. The permeabilities of urea, creatinine, and creatine through the CR and CR-g-HEMA membranes are investigated in a dialysis cell, and the permeation mechanism is also discussed. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.