Primary processes in pulse irradiated poly(ethersulphone)

• Published in: Radiation physics and chemistry (Oxford, England : 1993) Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 187 - 188
• Main Authors: Karolczak, S., Wysocki, S., Fouracre, R.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.1999
• ISSN: 0969-806X; 1879-0895
• DOI: 10.1016/S0969-806X(98)00239-4

Poly(ethersulphones) (PES) represent an important group of commercially useful polymers because of their high thermal stability, excellent electrical properties and remarkable radiation resistance. Numerous reports on the effect of gamma -radiation, high energy electrons and particle beams on polyarylsulphones can be found in the literature (Web, 1996). In these reports, the extent of radiation-induced degradation and relevant mechanisms for poly(ethersulphones) were evaluated on the basis of an analysis of final, stable products, yields of chain scission and crosslinking, and changes of mechanical, physical and chemical properties. Recent ESR studies (Faucitano 1996) provided new valuable data on the type of radical species, their formation and subsequent reactions. There is still no information on primary processes following ionization and excitation of PES by ionizing radiation. In this paper, time- resolved spectroscopic studies on the simplest PES-poly(oxy-1,4-phenylsulfonyl- 1,4-phenylene) (-O-C sub 6 H sub 4 -SO sub 2 -C sub 6 H sub 4 -) sub n -following irradiation are very briefly reported.