Gaseous products formed by gamma-irradiation of bisphenol-A polycarbonate

Bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) was gamma -irradiated under vacuum at doses from 125 to 1000 kGy. Gases formed were analyzed by gas chromatography - ma ss spectrometry, and their radiation-chemical yields (G) were calculated. T he total G value of gases was equal to 1.00 molec/100 eV, and main products of PC radiolysis were carbon monoxide and hydrogen, their G = 0.87 and 0.0 8, respectively. Traces of methane, carbon dioxide, acetaldehyde and aceton e were detected at doses above 300 kGy. It has been found that acetaldehyde and acetone were produced practically by radiolysis of carbon monoxide hyd rogen mixture evolved from the irradiated PC. Mechanism of gaseous products formation by the PC irradiation has been discussed.