Witold Brostow (a), Victor M. Castaño (a, b) and Gonzalo Martinez-Barrera (a,c)

(a) Laboratory of Advanced Polymers and Optimized Materials (LAPOM), Department of Materials Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5310, USA; Denton, TX 76203, USA
(b) Centro de Fisica Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada (CFATA), Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, AP 1-1010, Queretaro, Qro. 76001, Mexico
(c) Laboratorio de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Materiales Avanzados (LIDMA), Facultad de Quimica, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Km. 12 de la carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, San Cayetano 50200, Mexico

ABSTRACT

Blends with 0, 5, 10 and 13 weight % of styrene/butadiene (SBR) copolymer embedded in a rigid polystyrene matrix were prepared. Micro­hardness was determined and morphology evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after gamma irradiation. We relate the morpho­logy to chemical structure and to composition of the SBRs as well as to irradia­tion dosages. We also connect the microhardness to the impact strength deter­mined previously.