RADIATION EFFECTS ON POLY(VINYLIDENE FLUORIDE)

Melt-crystallized poly(vinylidene fluoride)s (PVF2) with different cry stallization histories were irradiated with gamma-rays within the rang e of irradiation doses 0-83 Mrad. The effects on the crystalline struc ture and mechanical properties have been measured, compared, and discu ssed. The degree of crystallinity of the samples was found to increase with radiation dose. The differential scanning calorimeter scans of t he quenched samples indicate that there are two melting peaks, and tha t the area of the lower temperature peak increases while the area of h igher temperature peak decreases with increasing dose. Yield stress an d breaking stress for all samples are not significantly affected by ir radiation but elongation at break is.