Mechanical properties of radiation‐induced graft copolymers of styrene to polyethylene

Measurements were made of the tensile properties polyethylene‐styrene grafts prepared by irradiating polyethylene films in liquid styrene. The films contained true graft and occluded styrene homopolymer. It was shown that yield strength, tensile strength, and initial modulus of elasticity increase while elongation decreases with increasing polystyrene content. The tensile strength and elongation were reduced when the grafted film was soaked in benzene more than 15 hr. The film prepared by a post‐irradiation graft gave higher tensile strength and elongation than those of grafts formed by simultaneous irradiation of the film and the monomer. These results indicate that radiation‐induced grafting makes the system of polyethylene and polystyrene compatible and potentially useful, provided the samples are not subjected to drastic solvent extraction procedures for the removal of homopolymer.