Correlation between microscopic degradation mechanism and macroscopic mechanical property of epoxy resin based on low molecular weight radiolysis products

Low molecular weight radiolysis products play an important role in the performance change and degradation mechanism of polymer materials. In this study, the radiolysis products with low molecular weight of epoxy resin were detected, identified and quantified through solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). The qualitative results showed that most of radiolysis products of epoxy resin were phenols and ketones. The result of principal component analysis showed that the composition of radiolysis products produced at different absorbed doses had obvious difference, indicating that the degradation degree of epoxy resin was different at different absorbed dose. Phenol can be used as an indicator product to reflect the change of tensile strengrh. It indicated that the identification of the radiolysis products was useful for studying the degradation mechanisms and predicting the degradation degree of epoxy resin. Accordingly, the radiation-induced degradation mechanisms were proposed according to the radiolysis products and theoretical calculations. • Radiolysis products with low molecular weight were analyzed by SPME-GC-MS. • Phenol was used as an indicator product to predict the change of tensile strength. • Radiation-induced degradation mechanisms were proposed according to the radiolysis products and theoretical calculations.