A STUDY ON GRAFTING OF ACRYLONITRILE ONTO HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE BY THE NEUTRON-ACTIVATION ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE

Small pieces of high-density polyethylene sheet were dipped into acryl onitrile and exposed to Co-60 gamma-rays for grafting. The grafting te ndency of acrylonitrile onto high-density polyethylene was confirmed, initially from observed changes in sample weight with period of exposu re and later with an infrared spectrometer, where the absorption bands corresponding to stretching of (i) C = N at 2242 cm-1 (ii) C = N at 1 750 and 1630 cm-1 and (iii) C-N at 1060 cm-1 were obtained. The degree of grafting was determined, for the first time, by estimating the amo unt of nitrogen incorporated in the grafted sample using a 14 MeV neut ron activation analysis technique. The electrical properties of the gr afted sample were also studied, whereby a slight decrease in resistivi ty was noted.