Changes in mechanical properties due to gamma irradiation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)

this paper presents an experimental analysis of the effect of dose and dose rate parameters during gamma irradiation of high-density polyethylene (hdpe) samples. considerations concerning the influence of these parameters on hdpe mechanical strength properties as a result of the predominance of oxidative degradation or of cross-linking are presented. the experimental results show an improvement of hdpe mechanical strength as dose increases, indicating the predominance of cross-linking over oxidative degradation and that lower doses are necessary to obtain a similar change in resistance parameters when radiation is applied at lower dose rates, showing that gamma radiation affects the hdpe in a more efficient way at lower dose rates.