Irradiation by ionizing radiation is a specific type of controllable modification of the physical and chemical properties of a wide range of polymers, which is, in comparison to traditional chemical methods, rapid, non-polluting, simple, and relatively cheap. In the presented paper, the influence of high-energy ionizing radiation on the basic mechanical properties of the melamine resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, and nitrile rubber blend has been studied for the first time. The mechanical properties of irradiated samples were compared to those of non-irradiated materials. It was found that radiation doses up to 150 kGy improved the mechanical properties of the tested materials in terms of a significant increase in stress at break, tensile strength, and tensile modulus at 40% strain, while decreasing the value of strain at break. At radiation doses above 150 kGy, the irradiated polymer blend is already degrading, and its tensile characteristics significantly deteriorate. An radiation dose of 150 kGy thus appears to be optimal from the viewpoint of achieving significant improvement, and the radiation treatment of the given polymeric blend by a beam of accelerated electrons is a very promising alternative to the traditional chemical mode of treatment which impacts the environment.

Faculty of Engineering Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra Tr A Hlinku 2 949 76 Nitra Slovakia

Faculty of Industrial Technologies in Púchov Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín Ivana Krasku 491 30 020 01 Puchov Slovakia

Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice Faculty of Technology Department of Mechanical Engineering Okružní 10 370 01 České Budějovice Czech Republic

Progresa Final SK s r o Ferienčíková 18 811 08 Bratislava Slovakia

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