LET and dose rate effect on radiation-induced copolymerization of maleimide with styrene in 2-propanol solution

N2-saturated 2-propanol solutions containing styrene and maleimide were irradiated by electron, proton, He and C-ion beams. The styrene–maleimide copolymer was produced by radical polymerization induced during irradiation. The effects of the radical distribution, which depends on the LET or dose rate, on the molecular weight and the polymer yield were discussed.