RADIATION-INITIATED GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION OF INDIVIDUAL MONOMER AND COMONOMER ONTO POLYETHYLENE AND POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE FILMS

Preparation and some properties of the graft copolymers obtained by radiation‐induced graft polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) and (acrylonitrile/MAA) comonomer onto polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene films, were investigated. The effect of reaction conditions, solvent, monomer, and inhibitor concentration, comonomer composition, and comonomer concentration, on the graft copolymerization process was studied. The grafting process was enhanced in the presence of comonomer (AN/MAA) as compared with individual grafting of MAA or acrylonitrile (AN). The optimum comonomer composition, at which the highest grafting yield was obtained, was found to be (80/20) wt % of (AN/MAA) comonomer. The graft copolymerization of (AN/MAA) comonomer was enhanced in presence of AN due to its higher polarity strength. The electrical and swelling properties of the graft copolymers were greatly affected by the contents of PAN and PMAA graft chains. Mechanical properties of the graft copolymers were significantly changed with the grafting yield. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.