Abstract
The effects of electron beam irradiation on ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) were studied. Samples were irradiated in air at room temperature by a universal electron beam accelerator for various doses. The effect of irradiation on samples and the cross-linked ETFE after aging were investigated with respect to thermal characteristics, crystallinity, mechanical properties, and volume resistivity using thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), universal mechanical tester, and high resistance meter. TGA showed that thermal stability of irradiated ETFE is considerably lower than that of unirradiated ETFE. DSC indicates that crystallinity is altered greatly by cross-link. The analysis of mechanical properties, fracture surface morphology, visco-elastic properties and volume resistivity certify radiation-induced cross-linking is vital to aging properties.
Highlights
Fluoropolymers, thermoplastic polymers, have been widely applied for many years due to outstanding mechanical properties, cold resistance, high heat, electrical insulation, and chemical resistance
The irradiation effect on ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) when TAIC was used as curing agent and the aging properties of irradiation cross-linked ETFE was systematically investigated
The Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) results demonstrate that the irradiation cross-linked ETFE is considerably lower than that of unirradiated ETFE
Summary
Fluoropolymers, thermoplastic polymers, have been widely applied for many years due to outstanding mechanical properties, cold resistance, high heat, electrical insulation, and chemical resistance. These materials confer a superior temperature resistance and have been used a lot for cable insulation across the aerospace field [1,2]. Fluoropolymers have been extensively employed as insulation materials in spaceships and aircrafts, fluoropolymer, which is used for aerospace applications, is frequently decomposed on account of its rather low radiation resistance performance derived from fluoride precipitation after cosmic ray radiation [3,4]. ETFE has a higher radiation stability and exhibits superior mechanical properties, flexural modulus and creep resistance than its perfluorinated counterparts, i.e., poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), poly (tetra fluoroethylene-cohexafluoropropylene) (FEP), and poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-pefluorovinylether)
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