Two epoxy polymers based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), cured with piperidine (Pip) and 4,4'-diamino-3,3'-dimethyldicyclohexylmethane (3DCM), were characterized before and after treatment with γ irradiation. The changes in the mechanical and thermal properties were studied by elastic modulus, glass transition temperature and degradation temperature measurements. A dose of 50 kGy of irradiation caused subtle variations in properties such as rigidity and stability, which are relevant from the fundamental point of view. The variations do not imply on negative impact when considering the stage of sterilization during the use of these systems as a biomaterial in the medical area.
Epoxy polymers; gamma rays; degradation; crosslinking
