Radiation Resistance of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics

Such considerations must be borne in mind when it is necessary to improve the physical properties of plastics, whether or not they have been reinforced by the addition of various agents. For example, a plastic that has been reinforced by the incorporation of glass fiber suffers a deterioration in physical properties. The greater the exposure, the greater is the loss in these properties. 

It is seen in Table 11.1 that commonly used polymers (e.g., polyolefins and their copolymers, polymethyl methacrylate) and polytetrafluoroethylene have very poor resistance to gamma irradiation and should not be used in applications in which exposure to this type of irradiation occurs. 

While polyether ether ketone has an excellent resistance to the effects of gamma radiation, it is affected by exposure to protons and alpha particles [1]. 

Hafi et al. [2] studied the effect of 11 MeV protons and 26.6 MeV alpha particles on chain scission and cross-linking of polyether ether ketone. 

Irradiation significantly reduced the thermal stability and durability of this polymer. 

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