Radiation-resistant, amorphous, all-aromatic poly(arylene ether sulfones) - Synthesis, physical behavior, and degradation characteristics

The effects of Co-60 gamma radiation on a series of poly(arylene ether sulfones) prepared by nucleophilic activated aromatic substitution are investigated experimentally. The preparation of the test compounds is described, and the test results are presented in extensive tables and graphs. Radiation-induced degradation, as measured by SO2 production, was found to be lowest in compounds based on biphenol rather than bisphenol A; these findings were also well correlated with ultimate-tensile-strain measurements.