Electron beam irradiation effects on the mechanical, thermal and surface properties of a fluoroelastomer

Fluoroelastomer can be used as a sealing material for different purposes. The aim of this work is the evaluation of the effects of the ionizing radiation of an electron beam (EB) on the mechanical, thermal and surface properties of a commercial fluoroelastomer containing carbon black and inorganic fillers. The material was irradiated with overall doses between 10 and 250 kGy. Tensile strength (stress and strain at break), hardness (Shore A) and compression set were evaluated. Thermal behavior was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Surface modifications were inspected using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The experiments have shown that EB irradiation promotes beneficial changes in the fluoroelastomer tensile strength behavior while compression set remain constant and the glass transition temperature increases. The SEM micrographs have shown compactness in the irradiated samples, although optical observations showed no surface morphology changes.