
%0 Journal Article
%A Davis, JE 
%A Senogles, E 
%T &#947;-Irradiation of N-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one and its homopolymer
%J Australian Journal of Chemistry
%D 1981/07/01
%V 34
%N 7
%P 1413-1421
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9811413
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/CH9811413 
%X The effect of &#947;-radiation on N-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one and its homopolymer, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one), has been investigated. With N-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one, polymerization occurs by a radical mechanism and the presence of water has been shown to have a promoting effect on the reaction, giving both increased polymerization rates and molecular weights. This has been primarily attributed to an enhancement of N- vinylpyrrolidin-2-one reactivity through hydrogen bonding. In contrast, irradiation of N-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one in the presence of organic solvents leads to lower polymerization rates and lower molecular weights than with the undiluted monomer.     Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one) primarily crosslinks on being irradiated. Gel fractions have been determined as a function of radiation dose and the results shown to be consistent with the theoretical data derived by Inokuti for a polymer with an initial molecular weight distribution of the Schulz-Zimm type. This leads to values for the radiation chemical yields of crosslinks and main chain scissions, G(X) and G(S), of 0.13±0.03 and 0.02±0.01, respectively, at 0&#176;C. 
