COMPOSITION, RADIATION DOSE AND TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT DEGRADATION STUDIES OF POLYAMIDE 6 HOMOPOLYMER AND COPOLYMERS

Abstract

Composition radiation dose temperature dependency on free radicals generated in PA6, PA6/ PA12 copolymer, has been investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) and FTIR techniques. ESR spectra of -irradiated PA6 has shown complex shaped and number of hyperfine lines is observed to be in between 6-10. This complex spectrum is assigned to macro-radicals of the type ~CH₂CHCH₂~, which in principle has to give a ten line ESR spectrum. However, due to inter-play of hyperfine interactions, only 6-10 lines are present. In contrast, the PA12 has shown on ESR spectrum with less number of hyperfine lines. With regard to copolymers with high PA6 content, have exhibited more hyperfine structures are found to depend on less PA6 content. A reason for this behavior has to been proposed. Effect of radiation dose and temperature on the generation of free radicals has been made. FTIR spectra of unirradiated and irradiated homo polymer and copolymer are compared

Key words: ESR spectra, FTIR spectra, Free radical, Gamma irradiation,PA6/PA12 copolymer.