HOT-FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF IRRADIATED POLYETHYLENE

Abstract

Polyethylene disks, 0.55 in. diameter by 0.137 in. thick, were irradiated in air in the ground test reactor to five different gamma-ray dose levels: 2.2 x 10 to the 8th power, 4.72 x 10 to the 8th power, 1.64 x 10 to the 9th power, 4.99 x 10 to the 9th power, and 1.33 x 10 to the 10th power ergs/GM(C) plus the dose imparted by the associated neutron flux. After irradiation, the samples were compressed in a parallel-plate plastometer under constant load of 260 F for a period of five minutes. The thickness and the diameter of the extruded samples were measured at 75 F and found to be correlated with the absorbed gamma ray dose in a manner described by two empirically derived equations. An evaluation of the radiation-induced change in viscosity, of the disks showed that the dose region where departs from linearity is coincident with the most sensitive region of response in the hot- flow characteristics 10 to the 8th power - 1.5 x 10 to the 9th power erg/gm(C) . The results suggest that in this dose region, the described experimental procedure may be usefully employed for dosimetric purposes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 15, 1963
Accession Number
AD0407815

Entities

People

  • E. G. Fritz
  • P. M. Johnson

Organizations

  • General Dynamics

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Diameters
  • Dielectric Polymers
  • Dosimetry
  • Experimental Data
  • Gamma Rays
  • Hardness
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Neutron Flux
  • Nuclear Radiation
  • Physical Properties
  • Polymers
  • Radiation
  • Test Reactors
  • Thickness
  • Viscosity

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.