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The influence of low‐ and high‐linear energy transfers on some physical properties of poly(methyl‐methacrylate) samples
Author(s) -
Eissa Mostafa F.,
Kaid Maysa A.,
Kamel Nasser A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.36695
Subject(s) - indentation hardness , materials science , poly(methyl methacrylate) , irradiation , methyl methacrylate , composite material , polymer , microstructure , physics , nuclear physics , monomer
Clear poly(methyl‐methacrylate)—PMMA—dosimeter is widely used in food irradiations. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is one of the unique tools used for studying free‐volumes and open‐volume type defects in solid media. The Vicker's microhardness measurements offer a simple and nondestructive tool for investigating the mechanical behavior of polymer materials. PALS as well as microhardness measurements were carried out for PMMA samples, irradiated with low‐ and high‐linear energy transfers (LET). The low‐LET irradiations were provided at lethal doses of gamma radiations for vegetative bacteria. Such irradiations showed a chain scission in the PMMA samples. High‐LET irradiations showed behavior different from the low‐LET ones. The observed behavior depends on the alpha particle fluence. The microhardness testing was carried out for virgin and irradiated PMMA samples at high‐LET. A negative correlation was found between PALS measurements and microhardness results. The optical characteristics and structural studies for the virgin and irradiated PMMA samples were in agreement with the PALS and microhardness measurements. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012