Partial depolymerization of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) which has been performed by gamma-irradiation of the polymer in the molten state at 360-380oC has been investigated by using attenuated total reflection and transmission IR. The influence of the radiation dose and atmospheric conditions on the rate of producing fluorinated alkylpolyenes of F3C-(CF=CF)n-CF3 (n= 1-7), as well as their derivatives with CFO terminal groups, with bands at 1785 and 1885 cm-1, respectively, in the transmission spectra has been studied. It has been found that FTIR spectra of PTFE are sensitive to the formation of defects related to emerging of branching CF3 groups which are characterized by the band at 986 cm-1 in side chains of the PTFE structure.

Investigation of FTIR spectra of gamma-irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene

252nd National Meeting (2016)

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