Modification of poly(vinyltrimethylsilane) by radiation-induced graft polymerization

The modification of polyvinyltrimethylsilane (PVTMS) has been carried out u sing the radiation-induced graft polymerization. PVTMS is applied as a basi s for gas-separating membranes. Acrylonitrile, acrolein, ethyl acrylate, ac rylic acid and acrylamide were used as monomers. The grafting was performed both from vapour and liquid phase of monomers and their solutions by the d irect radiation method. Some kinetic regularities of radiation graft polyme rization of monomers and the character of distribution of grafted polymers along the thickness of PVTMS films were studied. It was shown that grafting improves the chemical resistance, the selective permeability of gases and some mechanical properties of PVTMS films. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.