Graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto polyethylene film by preirradiation method. II. Effects of oxygen at irradiation, storage time after irradiation, mohr's salt, and ethylene dichloride

Abstract

Abstract In the grafting of acrylic acid onto polyethylene by preirradiation method, the irradiation in air gave a higher rate of grafting than in N 2 , since the diffusion rate of monomer is larger for less crosslinked polyethylene. The rate of grafting decreased with increasing time of storaging polyethylene because of the decay of trapped radicals. The effects of storage conditions on the grafting activity was reasonably interpreted by assuming that grafting is predominantly controlled by both concentration of trapped radicals and monomer diffusibility in the polymer matrix. Mohr's salt was found to depress the homopolymerization of acrylic acid without marked change of grafting rate. The rate of grafting was increased by the addition of ethylene dichloride due to the increase in monomer diffusion.