Influence of radiation-induced cross-linking on mechanical and thermal long-term behavior of polyethylene

On the basis of long-term tests the influence of the degree of cross-linking, polyethylene type, and temperature on the creep behavior has been studied under static one-axial tensile stress (stress and deformation relaxation) and under standard climate conditions and at elevated temperatures. The achievable improvements in mechanical properties were found to be more significant for high density polyethylene than for low density polyethylene. The linking effect clearly depends on temperature