A Novel characterization method for graft-polymer structures chemically attached on thermally stable polymer films

Enomoto, Kazuyuki; Takahashi, Shuichi; Maekawa, Yasunari

Most polymer grafts in grafted polymer films obtained by radiation-induced solid graft polymerization have not been analyzed in detail due to difficulties in isolation of the grafts without structural decomposition. We report herein a novel structural and molecular weight characterization method for polymer grafts chemically attached to thermally and chemically stable polymer substrates, based on swelling-induced graft detachment in hot water. The polymer grafts prepared by radiation-induced polymerization of alkyl acrylate into poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) followed by a sulfonation reaction were found to have a ternary copolymer structure whose monomer units contained -COOH, -SOH, or both.