The use of high energy radiation as a probe for the characterization of polyester melamine coating matrices

ESR spectroscopy was used to study the high energy (γ) radiolysis, at low temperature in vacuum, of a series of polyester-melamine clearcoats. The results were interpreted in terms of the formation of unstable free radical intermediates. G values for free radical formation were used as a measure of the radiation stability of the crosslinked matrix, and the structural characteristics of the polymer were inferred from the nature of the free radicals generated