The Effects of Pile Bombardment on Uncured Elastomers

Abstract

Previous work on the effects of ionizing radiations on hydrocarbons has established that four competitive processes are usually operative: (1) dehydrogenation, (2) condensation or polymerization, (3) hydrogenation (action of nascent hydrogen on any unsaturated matter present), (4) decomposition (C-C cleavage). The chain reacting nuclear pile offers an ideal means for subjecting relatively thick samples of matter (such as rubber) to uniformly high concentrations of radiation. Such studies on natural rubber, butyl rubber, and polyisobutylene allow one to draw the following conclusions. 1. Uncured natural rubber undergoes a slight curing action when exposed to pile radiations. 2. Polyisobutylene samples are appreciably degraded by pile radiations. 3. The same effects as noted in (1) and (2) are greatly enhanced by secondary alpha-particles, produced by an (n,α) reaction on boron10 (milled into the elastomer). However, even a 2-hour bombardment of natural rubber yields a product greatly inferior to sulfur vulcanizates. 4. Pile bombardment does not introduce measurable unsaturation in polyisobutylene and decreases the unsaturation in natural rubber but slightly. 5. A typical butyl rubber stock is permanently degraded by pile irradiation showing upon cure reduced tensile strength compared to that of a control sample. 6. Natural rubber shows a weak but measurable radioactivity days after bombardment, probably because of its mineral content. Polyisobutylene is not appreciably active.