Thermal, mechanical, and structural investigation of the effect of electron beam-irradiation in bayfol nuclear track detector

Samples frorn sheets of the polymeric material Bayfol have been exposed to electron beam in the dose range 10-100 kGy. The resultant effect of electron beam irradiation on the thermal properties of Bayfol has been investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. The onset temperature of decomposition T-0 and activation energy of thermal decomposition E-a were calculated, results indicating that the Bayfol polymer decomposes in one main weight loss stage. Also, the electron irradiation in the dose range 40-100 kGy led to a more compact structure of Bayfol polymer, which resulted in an improvement in its thermal stability with an increase in activation energy of thermal decomposition. The variation of transition temperatures with electron dose has been determined using differential thermal analysis. The results indicate that the electron irradiation in the dose range 40-100 kGy causes crosslinking that destroys the crystalline structure depressing the melting temperature and this is most suitable for applications requiring the molding of this polymer at lower temperatures. In addition, the mechanical and structural properties of Bayfol samples were measured and the results revealed that the tensile strength, elongation at break, yield strength, and intrinsic viscosity were affected by the electron doses.