Effect of E-Beam Irradiation on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Ester Elastomers Containing Multifunctional Alcohols

The aim of this work was to investigate the thermal and mechanical properties of novel, electron beam-modified ester elastomers containing multifunctional alcohols. Polymers tested in this work consist of two blocks: sebacic acid–butylene glycol block and sebacic acid–sugar alcohol block. Different sugar alcohols were utilized in the polymer synthesis: glycerol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, and mannitol. The polymers have undergone an irradiation procedure. The materials were irradiated with doses of 50 kGy, 100 kGy, and 150 kGy. The expected effect of using ionizing radiation was crosslinking process and improvement of the mechanical properties. Additionally, a beneficial side effect of the irradiation process is sterilization of the affected materials. It is also worth noting that the materials described in this paper do not require either sensitizers or cross-linking agent in order to perform radiation modification. Radiation-modified poly(polyol sebacate-co-butylene sebacate) elastomers have been characterized in respect to the mechanical properties (quasi-static tensile tests), cross-link density, thermal properties (Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)), chemical properties: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and wettability (water contact angle). Poly(polyol sebacate-co-butylene sebacate) preopolymers were characterized with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H NMR and (13)C NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal stability of cross-linked materials (directly after synthesis process) was tested with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).