Effect of Radiation from an Infrared Laser and γ-Rays from 60Co on the Molecular–Topological Structure of Polyvinylidene Fluoride

Abstract

We investigate the molecular–topological structure of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) irradiated with γ-rays from ⁶⁰Co and IR radiation from a carbon dioxide laser by the thermomechanical spectroscopy method. The initial PVDF has a topological three-block network structure containing the low- and high-temperature amorphous blocks and crystalline fragments. Both types of irradiation can initiate interblock mass transfer of the macromolecular fragments from the amorphous to the crystalline form. As a result, unlike the predominantly amorphous structure of the native polymer, which is 7% crystalline, the weight fraction of the crystalline modification of the PVDF due to irradiation by an IR laser increases to 72%. Comparative analysis leads to the conclusion that the PVDF has a greater resistance to γ-irradiation than to IR laser irradiation. After IR laser irradiation, the pseudo-network structure of PVDF undergoes noticeable changes. The quantitative content of the crystalline fragments of macromolecules increases by almost an order of magnitude; the mobility of chains is reduced, and the rigidity of the chains is increased. However, the molecular flow of the polymer irradiated by the laser and γ-rays begins in the same temperature range (437 – 441 K) near where the native polymer is flowing (438 K).