Thermal and mechanical properties of e-beam irradiated butt-fusion joint in high-density polyethylene pipes

The effects of electron beam irradiation on the thermal and mechanical properties of a butt-fusion joint in high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy of welded samples revealed the changes of crystallinity due to the cross linking effect of electron beam irradiation. The suppression of the degree of crystallinity with increasing the irradiation dose from 0 kGy to 500 kGy indicated that the e-beam radiation induced cross-links among the polymer chains at the weld zone. The cross-link junction at the joint of HDPE pipe prevented chain folding and reorganization leading to the formation of imperfect crystallites with smaller size and also less in content. Tensile test of the welded samples with different dose of e-beam irradiation showed the increased values of the yield stress and Young's modulus as a function of irradiation dose. On the other hand, the elongation at break diminished clearly with increasing the irradiation doses.