The Effect of the Type of Polyethylene on .the Grafting of Styrene onto Polyethylene. III. The Crosslinking Effect in the Grafting by Preirradiation in Vacuum

The graft-copolymerisation of styrene onto the free radicals trapped in vacuum-irradiated polyethylene was investigated. By an increase of the rigidity of the foils, the grafting rate is also increased, because the termination of the growing chains becomes more hindered. But further increase of the rigidity causes grafting to stop at comparatively low values. Crosslinking of the foils also increases this rigidity, while raising of grafting temperature partially eliminates its effect. Based on the experimental results, some kinetic and structural factors governing the grafting reactions are discussed and some former theories are revised