Thermal Expansion of Irradiated Polyethylene from 10 to 340 K

Abstract

The coefficient of thermal expansion of $\gamma$-irradiated polyethylene has been measured from 10 to 340 K by using the three-terminal capacitance technique. The samples are irradiated to 500 Mrad in steps of 100 Mrad in air at room temperature with $\gamma$-rays from a $Co^{60}$ source at a dose rate of 0.3 Mrad/h. The crystallinity of the sample is measured by x-ray diffraction. The crystallinity is found to decrease with radiation dose. The thermal expansion coefficient is found to be constant with radiation doses from 10 to 110 K and decreases with doses from 110 to 340 K