Radiation processing of ethylene-propylene rubber

Abstract

The effects of ionizing radiation on ethylene‐propylene copolymer were evaluated over the range of total γ doses up to 500 kGy. The influence of the irradiation dose was investigated by oxygen uptake and thermal analysis. Four testing temperatures (170, 180, 190, and 200°C) and two heating rates between 2.9 and 5.9 K/min were selected for oxygen uptake measurements and thermal analysis, respectively. The competition between crosslinking and scission was examined on the basis of kinetic parameters of postirradiation oxidation. The influence of the momentary concentration of hydrocarbon free radicals is discussed in regard to the contribution of the antagonistic processes of crosslinking and oxidative degradation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 298–303, 2000

Accelerated electron effects on EVA based compound

“…Thermooxidative behavior, characterized by two kinds of oxidation processes (one with formation of solid compounds and the others by releases of volatile compounds), has also been reported for other polymers subjected to thermooxidative degradation 5–16…”