Effects of ionizing radiation on epoxy, graphite fiber, and epoxy/graphite fiber composites. Part II: Radical types and radical decay behavior

Electron spin resonance (ESR) investigations of line shapes and radical decay behavior have been made on an epoxy based on tetraglycidyl diaminodiphenyl methane (TGDDM)/diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS), T‐300 graphite fiber, and T‐300/5208 (graphite fiber/epoxy) composites after irradiation with Co 60 γ‐radiation or 0.5 MeV electrons. Two kinetically distinct radical species are found in the irradiated epoxy as the temperature is raised beyond 120 K following irradiation of samples at 77 K with Co 60 γ. One has been termed a fast‐decaying species and the other a slow‐decaying species. The ratio of fast‐decaying/slow‐decaying radicals increases as the decay temperature rises. The fast‐decaying radicals at room temperature are attributed largely to alkyl type radicals residing in regions of relatively low crosslink density, while the long‐lived radicals are attributed to radicals residing in the highly crosslinked regions of the epoxy. A large concentration (ca. 10 20 to 10 21 spins/g) of unpaired electrons was found in unirradiated graphite fiber which masked the ESR spectral change in irradiated composites.