Chemistry of radiation degradation of polymers

High energy radiation produces ionization and excitation in polymer molecules. These energy-rich species undergo ionic combination and ion-molecule reactions resulting in further reactive intermediates for chemical change. Scission and crosslinking of the polymer molecules, formation of small molecular products and modification of the chemical structure of the polymer are responsible for the changes in material properties by radiation. The identification and measurement of these changes utilizing solution characterization methods, ESR spectroscopy of radical intermediates and NMR spectroscopy of chemical structure are considered. These radiation chemical yields of the different types of degradation assist in understanding the mechanism of radiation degradation. Relationships between the chemical structure of the polymer and the radiation sensitivity/resistance are considered