ABSTRACT
The radiation resistance of polymers and polymer materials reflects their physico-chemical stability, on the one hand, and their serviceability under the influence of ionizing radiations. Physico-chemical stability is the ability of the polymer materials to retain their initial physical properties and chemical macro- and microstructure. Serviceability is the retention of the desired service conditions of instruments, assemblies, and devices under the conditions of irradiation. The radiation resistance of polymers depends mainly on their chemical structure. If the structure of the macromolecules is known, it is possible to predict the polymer behaviour upon exposure to ionizing radiations. Polymers containing double conjugated bonds and aromatic rings exhibit a lower sensitivity to ionizing radiation than polymers with saturated bonds. The elemental composition of polymers is important only when polymers are subjected to neutron radiation. Moreover, the larger the cross-section of neutron capture or scattering by the given chemical elements, the more pronounced is this effect.
