Effect of gamma irradiation conditions on the radiation-induced degradation of isobutylene–isoprene rubber

The effect of gamma irradiation conditions on the radiation-induced degradation of uncrosslinked, commercial isobutylene–isoprene rubbers has been investigated in this study. Influence of dose rate and irradiation atmosphere on the degradation of butyl rubber has been followed by viscosimetric and chromatographic analyses. Limiting viscosity number of all butyl rubbers decreased sharply up to 100 kGy and leveled off at around the same molecular weight, independent of dose rate. Slightly higher decrease in viscosity was observed for samples irradiated in air than in nitrogen especially at low dose rate irradiation. Cross-linking G(X), and chain scission G(S) yields of butyl rubbers were calculated by using weight- and number-average molecular weights of irradiated rubber determined by Size Exclusion Chromatography analyses. G-value results showed that chain scission reactions in isobutylene–isoprene rubber in air atmosphere are more favorable than in nitrogen atmosphere, and that lower dose rate enhances chain scission over cross-linking.