"Progress is reported on: design of a continuous flow system for the irradiation of silane using a Cos5 source; pile irradiation of silane samples at elevated temperatures; investigation of materials other than silane, including nonsilicon compounds as well as those containing the silyl group; modification of the existing vacuum system for handling larger quantities of silane as well as increasing the accuracy of the pressure measurements; and use of an electric discharge for the decomposition of silane. The work performed during the period of this report consisted of the following: 1. Preparation of samples of trichlorosilane and hydrogen and subsequent thermal and irradiation studies, and analysis of these samples. 2. Preparation of mixed samples of silane and argon and subsequent thermal and irradiation studies and and analysis. 3. Outlining of future investigations to be conducted on this project."

""Progress is reported on: design of a continuous flow system for the irradiation of silane using a Cos5 source; pile irradiation of silane samples at elevated temperatures; investigation of materials other than silane, including nonsilicon compounds as well as those containing the silyl group; modification of the existing vacuum system for handling larger quantities of silane as well as increasing the accuracy of the pressure measurements; and use of an electric discharge for the decomposition of silane. Studies were continued on the radiation- and thermalinduced decomposition of sikane at 325 and 350 deg C. A preliminary value of G= 33 was obtained for silane."

"Rates of acetylene polymerization induced by Kr/sup 85/ in d-c fields were up to 15 times greater than those observed when no fields were imposed. Work to determine the relations between acetylene pressure, Kr/sup 85/ concentration, and the field intensity is continuing. In other activities, equipment is being designed to study the effects of megacycle electric fields on radioinduced chemical reactions."

"A brief examination of the post irradiation grafting of machine irradiated polyethylene film with acrylic acid monomer was made. Evidence of postgrafting was detected in samples that had been irradiated to a total dose of 10 Mrads at a dose rate of 0.01 Mrad/sec. and then exposed to a 25% purified acrylic acid solution in benzene for periods of 1 to 4 days."

"As presented in the original proposal the project consisted essentially of three parts: Phase I, Development and refinement of a radiochemical flow counting technique for the study of kinetics of reactions in solution ; Phase II, The application of this technique to the detailed study of the mechanism of solvolysis of sulfonium salts in mixed solvents ; Phase II, The further application of this kinetic technique, as a longer term aim, to other reacting systems of biochemical or other interest. This report covers the work of the contractual period 1 Sept. 1959 to 31 Aug. 1960."