Abstract
The effect of UV and $^60{Co}$ gamma radiations on the physical and mechanical properties of nylon 6 mono-filaments with different draw ratios has been studied. Specimens were exposed to either up to 25 Mrad of gamma or up to 168 hrs of intense UV irradiation. The results show that nylon mono-filaments exposed to gamma rays, with much higher quantum energy than UV, undergo a larger extent of molecular chain scission. Higher irradiation dose also results in the production of insoluble, macroscopic three-dimensional cross-linked network structure. The amorphous regions with a lower density of cohesive energy (lower molecular orientation) show a higher extent of cross linking reaction whereas amorphous regions with a higher density of cohesive energy (higher orientation) show higher extent of chain scission reaction, irrespective of UV ray or gamma ray irradiation.