Radiation-induced crosslinking of poly(vinylidenefluoride) in the presence of polyfunctional monomers

The effect of prior addition of polyfunctional acrylates and methacrylates on radiation-induced crosslinking of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) has been investigated in connection with the mutual solubility between monomers and PVdF. PVdF sheets containing 10% monomers were molded by compression at 2100C and irradiated with 2-MeV electron beams in air at room temperature. Comparison of the crosslinking effect of the monomers was made by G(c) and G(c)/G(s) determined by the method of Charlesby and Pinner. The above mentioned mutual solubility was estimated by the depression of the crystallizing temperature of PVdF in the presence of monomers. The crosslinking effect increases in the following order : monounsaturated monomer<linear type diunsaturated monomer<branched type diunsaturated monomer<triunsaturated monomer. In a series of monomers with same number of unsaturation, the effect was found to be related to the above mentioned mutual solubility. The acrylate exhibits lower effect than that of corresponding methacrylate due to homopolymerization during molding. (auth.)