Tsutomu Kagiya

Effect of Acetylene on the γ-Ray Crosslinking Polymerization of Various Kinds of Acrylic Monomers

Abstract The γ-radiation-induced crosslinking polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), methacrylic acid (MAA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), methyl acrylate (MA), and acrylic acid (AA) was carried out in bulk. The polymerization rates of AA and HEMA were much larger than those of other monomers. Acetylene had no influence on the polymerization rate in the initial stage, and the rate was dependent only on the kinds of monomers. In the absence of acetylene, gelation took place in PMA, PAA, and PHEMA obtained at complete conversion, but not in PMMA and PMAA. By the addition of acetylene, complete gelation of PMMA was observed, but no gel formation was observed for PMAA. Volume and weight swelling ratios were measured for PMA, PAA, PHEMA, and PMMA with complete gelation. It was found that by the addition of acetylene the molar concentration of crosslinks increased as much as about twice for PMA and PHEMA, and over about one hundred times for PMMA AND PAA. The relation between volume Sv and weight sw...

Radiation-Induced Cross-Linking of Polyethylene in the Presence of Various Acetylenic Compounds

Abstract A study was made on the radiation-induced cross-linking reaction of polyethylene by exposing film samples to [ddot]Co γ-rays in vacuum or in the presence of various acetylenic compounds such as acetylene, its C3 to C5 higher derivatives, and their mixture with tetrafluoroethylene (TFE). The samples (0.2 mm thick) were found to decrease in weight when irradiated in vacuum, but to increase in the presence of the additives. The IR spectrum measurements of the resultant showed that the trans-vinylene unsaturation increased by the irradiation, especially in the presence of the C3 to C5 derivatives, and terminal vinyl increased markedly in acetylene. However, the formation of these unsaturations were depressed when the film was irradiated in the mixed gas with TFE. The rate of the cross-linking reaction was accelerated by the addition of acetylene-TFE, acetylene, trifluoromethyl-acetylene, perfluorobutyne-2, perfluorobutyne-2-TFE, and methylacetylene-TFE [G(cross-linking) = 4.4-1.2]. It was reduced wit...