Renu Guptaa, V. Kumara, P.K. Goyala, Shyam Kumara, P. C. Kalsib and Sneh Lata Goyalc.
The thermal behavior of pristine and γ-irradiated CR-39 polymer (upto a maximum dose of 1800 kGy) has been studied using Thermogrametric analysis. The changes in degradation activation energy, frequency factor, entropy of activation, free energy of decomposition and rate coefficient have been analyzed as a consequence of γ-irradiation. The results clearly indicate the lowering of thermal stability of CR-39 as an effect of γ-irradiation. Such a reduction in thermal stability has been tried to be correlated with the induced structural changes as revealed by FTIR spectroscopy.
