Effects of concurrent aging by heat and radiation on the surface physical properties of burnt cable sheaths

Effects of concurrent aging by heat and radiation on the surface physical properties of burnt cable sheaths, made of silicone rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and chloroprene rubber, were analyzed by indenter modulus, FT-IR, and scanning probe microscopy (SPM). The measurements of indenter modulus indicate that all the sheaths become hard by the aging. The measurements by SPM, conducted only for chlorosulfonated polyethylene, indicate that this polymer becomes brittle by burning. The changes in FT-IR absorbance give valuable information on the changes by concurrent aging and burning in chemical structures of these polymer sheaths. (author)