Tribological and Micro-Mechanical Properties of Injected Polypropylene Modified by Electron Radiation

Abstract

Today, more and more importance is given to the improvement of polymer materials’ wear resistance, i.e., their micro-mechanical and tribological properties, which could widen their application in practice. The properties of materials can be modified by several methods, among them exposure to electron radiation. This study focuses on the effect of varying radiation intensity (15 kGy to 99 kGy), depth of penetration, and subsequent structure modification of injection-molded polypropylene on tribological and micro-mechanical properties. Electron radiation influences the structure of individual layers, thus improving or degrading their properties. Hence, the depth of penetration can be examined by instrumented hardness tests and scratch tests. Due to irradiation, surface properties and wear resistance increased by up to 105% (from 38 MPa to 78 MPa). As the results show, an increase in mechanical properties was recorded in the direction towards the center of the sample (from 72 MPa to 82 MPa). Micro-mechanical tests were also confirmed by the observation of cross-linking changes (gel test) as well as crystallinity increases (wide-angle X-ray diffraction and microtome cuts). This finding could have a significant effect on the manufacturing and subsequent modification of injection-molded polypropylene parts, which opens new possibilities in practice for this material. The increased surface wear resistance enables the use of parts for which the durability and abrasion resistance of the surface are demanded, especially in applications facing exposure to long-term cyclical loads (e.g., gears).