Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.86, No.8, 1953-1958, 2002
Chemical and thermal characterization of high- and low-density irradiated polyethylenes
A comparative study of the dynamic mechanical relaxation spectra of high- and low-density polyethylenes irradiated with gamma-radiation from a Co-60 source was performed. The irradiation doses ranged from 0 to 100 Mrad. All the samples were previously characterized by determination of the molecular weight distribution, the number of functional groups, and the crystalline fraction. All the relaxation zones between -145degreesC and the melt were studied in the frequency range from 0.3 to 30 Hz. The changes observed in the mechanical relaxation spectra were related to modifications in the chemical structure and morphological parameters attributed to the exposure of the samples to the gamma-radiation.
Keywords:polyethylene;radiation;infrared spectroscopy;differential scanning calorimetry (DSC);mechanical properties