Thermal stability of y irradiated low density polyethylene

الملخص EN

Small samples of low density polyethylene (LPDE) were manufactured in situ and exposed to y radiation up to 300 Mrad.

Thermogravimetry (TG) and its derivative (DTG) were utilized to study the thermal stability of these samples in nitrogen atmosphere.

The decomposition temperature (Td) exhibits a maximum for sample irradiated at 100 Mrad, where radiation cross-linking overrides the effects of lower radiation doses (perturbation and loss of crystallinity ) and higher radiation doses ( oxidative degradation).

The major weight losses in the material ensue above 360 C° and the major effect of irradiation is to render LDPE increasingly susceptible to oxidation.