Kinetics of radiation‐induced graft copolymerization of styrene with ethyl acrylate

Abstract

The radiation‐induced graft copolymerization of styrene with ethyl acrylate onto preirradiated polyethylene powder was carried out at 20°C. The grafting yield decreased in the following order: ethyl acrylate ≫ styrene > styrene–ethyl acrylate mixture. On the other hand, the amount of absorption of liquid monomers in polyethylene powder decreased as follows: styrene > styrene–ethyl acrylate mixture > ethyl acrylate. By kinetic analysis of the grafting yield and amount of absorption of monomers it was elucidated that the value Kp/Kt in an ethyl acrylate system (7.7 × 10−2) was much larger than those in styrene–ethyl acrylate systems and in a styrene system (ca. 1.0 × 10−2).

Mechanical properties of fiber‐reinforced natural rubbers using surface‐modified PET fibers under EB irradiation

“…This method can be quite effective to a chemically robust polymer4–6 like PET or PE since EB irradiation with a high energy can generate active species such as radicals required for a chemical reaction even in such polymers. In addition, an attention has been paid to this method as a clean process without using initiator of reactions 7–12. In our previous papers,13, 14 it was found that the polar side chains of N ‐vinyl formamide (NVF) were successfully introduced on the surface of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers by this method of graft polymerization, which showed the high interaction with the rubber matrix of SBR.…”