RADIATION-INDUCED COPOLYMERIZATION OF MALEIMIDES AND ACENAPHTHYLENE IN SOLID STATE

The γ‐ray‐induced polymerizations in the binary systems of maleimide‐acenaphthylene and N‐methylmaleimide‐acenaphthylene have been studied. The phase diagrams of the two systems show that an eutectic was formed in each system. It has been proven by the solvent extraction and the turbidimetric titration of obtained polymer that copolymer was formed in the eutectic of each system together with homopolymers. The fraction of total homopolymers in the maleimide‐acenaphthylene system was nearly the smallest in the monomer mixture of the eutectic composition. The composition of the copolymer, which was isolated by the extractions, was almost independent of the monomer composition. In order to elucidate these results, it was postulated that the copolymerization occurred at grain boundaries between the two components in the eutectic. Copyright © 1969 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.