How does γ-irradiation affect the properties of a microfiltration membrane constituted of two polymers with different radiolytic behavior?

International audienceThe objective of this work is to present the behavior of a fluorinated microporous membrane composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) mechanically reinforced by a polyamide-66 (PA-66) fabric under γ-irradiation with dose ranging between 0 and 100 kGy, in inert atmosphere and at room temperature. Particular attention was paid to the evolution of mechanical properties, the surface morphology and pores size distribution of this membrane, in order to study the filtration capacity and selectivity with increasing radiation dose. Moreover, the repartition of the generated radicals onto the two components of the membrane was achieved by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Two different regimes are observed depending on the dose range, and a correlation between the mechanical behavior of the membrane and the evolution of the concentration of the radicals in the PA fabric is observed. Globally, the porosity of the surface membrane does not vary whatever the dose may be, but the mechanical properties of the membrane as well as the permeability are strongly affected, even for low radiation dose such as 10 kGy. These results are related to chain scissions on the PA fabric, which occurred preferentially, compared to cross-linking, in the investigated dose range