Radiation degradation of insulating materials under stress

Effects of stress on the radiation degradation of insulating and jacketing materials of electric wires were studied. Dumbbell-shaped samples of four kinds of insulating and jacketing materials such as chlorosulfonated polyethylene CSM, ethylene-propylene rubber EPR, chloroprene CR and silicone rubber SiR were exposed to various conditions of irradiation under stress. Stress were added by straining the samples from O to 100% of the initial length. Tensile properties were measured by using Shimazu Autograph with a cross head speed of 200 mm/min, and the breaking energy was calculated from the stress-strain curves. The tension set was not seen without irradiation, but observed to increase with the dose and initial strain for all materials and not to depend on irradiation conditions. Those of EPR and SiR become equal to the initial strain above 1.0 MGy. These tension sets are not annealed by heating at 100-1200C for 24 hours. The elongation and strength at break decrease with the dose and initial strain. And the influence of the initial strain on the degradation is seen more clearly in the elongation for CSM and CR, and in the tensile strength for EPR and SiR, respectively. The influence of the initial strain was also examined by the value D50% which is defined as a dose at which the breaking energy calculated from the stress-strain curve becomes to 50% of the unirradiated sample's value