Crosslinking and scission yields for polystyrene subjected to γ irradiation in vacuo

Measurements of molecular weight averages and distributions have been made on three samples of narrow molecular size distribution polystyrene with molecular weights from 100,000 to 400,000 subjected to /sup 60/Co ..gamma.. irradiation in vacuo for various doses within the pregel region. G(X), the radiation chemical yield of crosslinking, has been determined as 0.043 +- 0.002 and G(S)/G(X), the ratio of scission to crosslinking, as 0.02; no effect of molecular weight was observed. By comparison with previous experimental results for polystyrene irradiated in air it has been established unequivocally that an oxygen environment leads to enhanced scission at the expense of crosslinking. Literature values of G(X) and G(S)/G(X) are reviewed in the light of these results and explanations are offered to account for major discrepancies. 3 figures, 2 tables.