Electron Beam-Induced Modification of Poly(dimethyl siloxane)

In this paper, poly (dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) was modified using electron beam irradiation and its property was investigated. PDMS sheets prepared using a conventional thermal curing method were irradiated by electron beams at absorbed doses between 20 and 200 kGy and their properties were characterized using swelling degree and contact angle measurements, universal testing machine (UTM). thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The results of the swelling degree measurements. UTM, and TGA revealed that the swelling degree of the irradiated PDMS sheets was reduced down to 24% in comparison to the control sheet, and their compression strength and thermal decomposition temperature increased up to maximum 2.5 MPa and 10 degrees C, respectively, due to the increase in crosslinking density by irradiation. In addition, on the basis of the results of contact angle measurements and XPS, the wettability of the PDMS sheets was enhanced up to 24% owing to the generation of hydrophilic functional groups on the PDMS surface by oxidation during electron beam irradiation.