Radiochemical oxidation of polyethylene: effect of the dose rate on the mechanical properties

The change in the mechanical properties of polyethylene (PE) during radiolysis in air was investigated. Rupture of the macromolecules takes place in the reaction of ROOH with R* radicals with the formation of >C=O groups on the end of the chain. It was shown that the strength of PE decreases linearly with an increase in the concentration of >C=O groups. With a dose rate of 104 Gy/sec, oxidation takes place in diffusion conditions, decomposition of the surface layers and cross-linking of the middle layers take place as a result, and the strength of the polymer cannot change. The change in the strength properties of PE in the depth of the sample was measured