Radiation yield of hydrogen chloride in gamma‐irradiated poly(vinyl chloride) stabilized by epoxy compounds

Abstract The G HCI values of γ‐irradiated PVC mixtures were studied after addition of various amounts of three epoxy stabilizers: diglycidyl ether of 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxy‐3‐methylphenyl)propane (I); diglycidyl ether of 1,1‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexane (II), and butyl‐ cis ‐9,10‐epoxystearate (III). The results indicated that two processes are essential for the stabilization: HCI capture by the epoxy groups, and an external protective effect, due to the remaining part of the stabilizer molecule. The role of the benzene rings in stabilizers I and II, as compared with the protective effect due to the long chains of stabilizer III, is not as dominant as one would expect.