Post-irradiation crosslinking of partially cured unsaturated polyester resin

The post-irradiation crosslinking of unsaturated polyester (UP) resin samples irradiated to different doses was monitored during the 15-days period. The post-reaction sensitivity of three experimental techniques was evaluated. Significant changes were detected by extraction analysis that also included determination of the free styrene content. The most substantial changes were detected by differential scanning calorimetry, even up to 5 days after the irradiation. The sensitivity and reproducibility of FTIR was the lowest. The first two techniques detected the influence of particular reaction periods, at which the radiation crosslinking was terminated, on the post-reaction.