Radiation-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid to powdered low-pressure polyethylene

A study was made of kinetics of graft polymerization of acrylic acid in 5% (by volume) solution of heptane at 343°K to high-pressure powdered PE exposed to radiation in air at 295°K up to 5–200 kJ/kg. A graft copolymer was obtained containing up to 40 wt.% polyacr ylic acid. It was shown that in the presence of 0·08% cobalt palmitate the initial rate of grafting is doubled. Experimental results were compared with calculated ones assuming that grafting was initiated by radicals formed during decomposition of peroxide groups and with bimolecular chain termination.