Advances In Radiation Chemistry Of Polymers

Part of the series "New Concepts in Polymer Science", this volume contains information on the main theoretical and practical problems involved in radiation chemistry of polymers. The processes of polymerization and modification of polymers by grafting, crosslinking and degradation, induced by ionizing radiation, are all described, as well as the radiation resistance of polymers and their protection from radiation. The book also contains applications of radiation chemistry of polymers, such as: principles of selection of radiation-chemical processes for industrial use; choice of radiation sources for specific processes; modification of textile and film materials by grafting; manufacturing of heat-shrinkable, thermostable and mechanically strong polymer products; composites; rubber vulcanizates and self-adhesive products; paints and coatings; man-made fibres; materials for microelectronics; and polymer materials for medical purposes.

This text examines the effect of radiation on polymers and the versatility of its industrial applications. By helping readers understand and solve problems associated with radiation processing of polymers, it serves as an important reference and fills a gap in the literature. Radiation processing can significantly improve important properties of polymers, however, there are still misconceptions about processing polymers by using ionizing radiation. This book explains the radiation processing of polymeric materials used in many industrial products including cars, airplanes, computers, and TVs. It even addresses emerging "green" issues like biomaterials and hydrogels.

Different aspects of basic research and R&D were presented during the meeting on "Advances in Radiation Chemistry of Polymers" held at the Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA, and this publication contains the proceedings of this meeting. This publication is the most up to date available on the subject.

This timely volume provides a review of fundamental radiation chemical processes and their relationship to several high technology industries. It demonstrates the significance of polymer radiation chemistry in industries such as electronics, aerospace, and optical recording. Six review chapters and nine reports provide an in-depth look into fundamental radiation chemistry, recent advances in spectroscopic methods, applications of radiation-modified polymers in electronics and microlithography, and resistance of polymers to radiation. Research studies include polymer reaction to radiation at the molecular level, energy dissipation pathways, microscopic properties of polymers, structure-property correlations, development of polymers for imaging at submicrometer resolution, and more.