The electron irradiation stability of polysulphone

It has been shown that polysulphone is particularly stable to electron irradiation compared with other polymer systems. This was reflected in the retention of mechanical properties (flexural strength and modulus) even after doses of 200 Mrads. However electron irradiation produces significant changes in the chemical structure. The polymer increased in molecular weight and gelled after 80 Mrads. Doses greater than 200 Mrads gave a constant gel content of about 70 per cent indicating that scission as well as crosslinking processes were important. G values for scission and crosslinking were calculated to be 0.08 and 0.16 respectively. The discolouration of diphenyl picryl hydrazyl solutions by solutions of irradiated polysulphone indicated the accumulation of groups containing an active hydrogen. These groups were deduced to be phenolic. The low G value for total gas (0.01) indicates the stability of polysulphone but the gas composition suggests that the three linkages, sulphone, ether and isopropylidene between the phenylene rings are affected by irradiation. Possible reactions involving these linkages and the processes which may account for the experimental observations are advanced and discussed.