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Linking Antioxidant Depletion with Material Properties for Polyethylene Pipes Resins
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posted on 2020-02-01, 00:00 authored by Nolene ByrneNolene Byrne, Rasike De Silva, Tim HilditchTim Hilditch© 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers Plastic pipes used in gas distribution networks are typically made from polyethylene (PE) and are stabilized against degradation by antioxidants. Over time, the antioxidant is consumed and the polymer integrity can become compromised. The rate of antioxidant depletion can be dependent on the specific grade of PE and the surrounding environment. In this research, the crystallinity, tensile strength, Young's modulus, and strain at break were measured for the four most commonly used PE pipe resins in the Australian natural gas distribution network as a function of antioxidant content. A relationship between the changes in material properties with antioxidant consumption was established. By measuring the carbonyl index (CI), which quantifies the amount of degradation products present, and linking this with the oxygen induction time (OIT), it was found that three clear regions exist for all investigated PE resins. These distinct regions of the OIT–CI relationship correlate with regions of substantially different rate of change in material properties, and hence indicate a measure of the integrity of the PE. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60: 323–329, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers.
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Journal
Polymer Engineering and ScienceVolume
60Issue
2Pagination
323 - 329Publisher
WileyLocation
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0032-3888eISSN
1548-2634Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalUsage metrics
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