Characterizing the influence of electron irradiation on scleroglucan

The electron irradiation effect on scleroglucans was investigated using different energy doses. Electron spin resonance spectra revealed radicals that were stable for several days. 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Raman spectra indicated no differences in chemical backbone structure due to irradiation. In contrast, lower viscosities of aqueous solutions were received at higher energy doses. This was caused by polymer degradation. The irradiation also decreased the weight average molar masses observed by gel permeation chromatography and multi-angle light scattering. Beginning from raw materials exceeding 4 · 106 Da, a number of main chain scissions of approximately 0.3 · 10−7 mol J−1 was found. But for one scleroglucan quality the scission number decreased with higher doses. In addition, the characterization via asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation proved the presence of low and high molar mass fractions. The electron irradiation led to a preferred scission of the high molar mass chains and increased the lower molar mass fraction. Due to this effect, the broadness of the molar mass distribution decreased.