FT-IR spectra of polyvinylchloride subjected to γ-irradiation have been investigated. During γ-irradiation of the polymer in air, radiation-chemical processes occur leading to the formation of carbonyl groups, unsaturated bonds, and hydroxyl groups, which introduces significant changes in its FT-IR spectrum. Their content in the irradiated polymer depends on the γ-irradiation dose, and with increasing irradiation dose, a gradual increase in the intensity of the absorption bands of the above groups is observed, with the greatest increase with irradiation dose in the intensity of the absorption band of carbonyl groups. In the IR spectra of vacuum irradiated polyvinyl chloride a low-intensity broad absorption band of radiolysis products with unsaturated bonds appears. Their content in the irradiated polymer macromolecule increases with the irradiation dose, at the same time, the content of chlorine-containing bonds decreases with the irradiation dose. The general appearance of the IR spectra of polyvinyl chloride is strongly influenced by the presence of gaseous water molecules in the polymer sample under study, and also the relative intensities of individual IR absorption bands differ in samples of different grades of industrial polymer.
S.V. Demidov (Wed,) studied this question.