INFLUENCE OF ELECTRON BEAM TREATMENT ON THE CRYSTALLIZATION AND THERMAL STABILITY OF LDPE/EPDM BLENDS

Abstract

The effect of blend composition and Electron Beam (EB) irradiation on the crystallization and thermal behavior of Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)/Ethylene-Propylene-Diene elastomer (EPDM) blends had been studied. Melting temperatures were found to remain unchanged upon variation of blend composition as well as irradiation dose. But the degree of crystallinity and T_c (crystallization temperature) were decreased with increase in EPDM content and EB dose. On the other hand, thermal stability (in terms of onset temperature and degradation temperature) and activation energy were increased with increase in EPDM content and irradiation dose. But the speed of degradation slowed down with increasing EPDM content and EB dose. Interestingly, once Trimethylolpropane Triacrylate (TMPTA) and Triallyl Cynuerate (TAC) were incorporated into the blends, the degrees of change of these properties were more in same direction upon irradiation. At higher irradiation dose properties were demoted due to chain scission.