Radiation curing of polysulfone-polysiloxane multiblock copolymers

Multiblock copolymers have altracted great interest of polymer scientists due to their structural variety and many applications. Most multiblock copolymers have the following two main structural characteristics. The different macromolecular segments forming the multiblock copolymers show domain separation at a submicroscopic level. Such copolymers may be characterized by twofold properties of elastic and rigid structures. Under irradiation, the twofold structural characters of multiblock copolymers may result in the radiation effect quite different from either a random copolymer or a macroscopic blend of the corresponding two homopolymers. In this paper, the effect of radiation curing on the structures and properties of such multiblock copolymers and the prospect of their improtant application are reported. The preparation of polysulfone (PSF)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) multiblock copolymers, the irradiation of the sample films with Co-60 gamma ray, and the characterizing methods by a viscoelastometer, tensile testing, infrared spectroscopy and gel fraction are described. As the results, the mechanical properties of the irradiated copolymers, the glass transition temperature and the permeability of the membranes are reported. (K.I.)