RADIATION-INDUCED REACTIONS IN POLY(1,2,2,2-TETRACHLOROETHYL METHACRYLATE) MONOMER MIXTURES

The work has been aimed at characterizing final products of radiation-induced reactions in polymer/monomer mixtures particularly by analytical and preparative HPLC. Poly(1,2,2,2-tetrachloroethyl methacrylate) (PTCEMA) was used as polymer while p-cumylphenythacrylate (CUPMA) was mainly added as monomer. The substances were irradiated with gamma-doses up to 160 kGy. The electron beam doses at an acceleration voltage of 30 kV corresponded to this value. With the HPLC method a CUPMA-grafted PTCEMA and CUPMA oligomers were detected. UV and H-1-NMR spectra of these separated substances obtained by preparative HPLC confirmed the formation of a graft polymer. IR and Cl-elementary analyses revealed a Cl-substitution in CUPMA oligomers. Evidently, the conversion of unsaturated monomers is decisively determined by the radiation-chemical behaviour of the polymer.