Effect of UV-aging on the mechanical and fracture behavior of low density polyethylene

Abstract

In polyethylene, a transient, oxidation-induced strengthening is often observed over a narrow range of UV radiation dose. In addition, plastic deformation may not be volume-preserving due to cavitation. Here, we employ a suite of analytical experiments and mechanical testing on pristine and oxidized low-density polyethylene films in order to investigate the transient strengthening behavior as well as the propensity for cavitation to fracture. Emphasis is laid on connecting macroscopically observed behavior with microscopic information involving the competition between multi-scale phenomena: chain scission and cross linking at a fine scale, chemi-crystallization, oxidation-induced cracking and mechanical damage at the meso and coarse scales. The results provide an insight into the role of cavitation in the oxidative embrittlement of semicrystalline polymers.