Influence of peroxide cross-linking temperature and time on mechanical, physical and thermal properties of polyethylene

Simon Backens; Stefan Ofe; Stefan Schmidt; Nikolai Glück; Wilko Flügge

doi:10.1515/mt-2021-2136

Article

Influence of peroxide cross-linking temperature and time on mechanical, physical and thermal properties of polyethylene

Simon Backens
Dipl.-Ing. Simon Backens, born in 1990, studied mechanical engineering at the TU Kaiserslautern. Since 2016, he has been a research assistant at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP in Rostock. He works in the Fiber Composite Technology Group of the New Materials and Processes Department.
, Stefan Ofe
MEng Stefan Ofe, born in 1984, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Technology, Business and Design in Wismar. Since 2008, he has been working as a research assistant at the Institute of Polymer and Production Technologies e. V. in Wismar. He works in the field of material development of thermoplastic materials with a focus on thermal and mechanical properties.
, Stefan Schmidt
Dr.-Ing. Stefan Schmidt, born in 1988, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Rostock and has been working at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP in Rostock since 2014. In 2020, he completed his doctorate on the topic of “Structural bonding of fiber-reinforced plastic composites”. Since 2020, he is team leader of the Fiber Composite Technology group.
, Nikolai Glück
Dr.-Ing. Nikolai Glück, born in 1981, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Rostock and has been working at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP in Rostock since 2007 in the fields of adhesive bonding, fiber-reinforced plastics and corrosion protection. Since 2020, he is the Head of the Department for New Materials and Processes.
and Wilko Flügge
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wilko Flügge, born in 1969, studied mechanical engineering at the TU Clausthal. At the University of Paderborn, he completed his doctorate on the subject of “Punch riveting of stainless steels”. Until 2017, he worked in research in the field of application technology at Salzgitter AG. Since June 2017, he has been chair holder of the Chair of Production Engineering at the University of Rostock and head of the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP.

Published/Copyright: March 9, 2022

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From the journal Materials Testing Volume 64 Issue 2

Abstract

Polyethylene is a very common liner material for type IV pressure vessels due to its good toughness and easy processing. The property profile of the polymer can be improved by cross-linking thereby changing the nature of the polymer from thermoplastic toward more elastomeric. For this purpose, polyethylene is modified either chemically, using peroxide or silane, or physically by radiation. In the present work, a cross-linkable polyethylene grade that can be processed by rotational molding was peroxide cross-linked under variation of temperature and time. Subsequently, the material was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, tensile tests, notched bar impact tests and permeation measurements. Two of the altogether six parameter combinations investigated did not lead to successful cross-linking resulting in very poor toughness. Stiffness, strength and permeation barrier properties, however, were much better than those of the other series due to higher crystallinity. Mechanical, physical and chemical properties changed significantly by successful cross-linking. The impact strength could be improved by a factor of more than 10. At the same time, significant losses in stiffness, strength and permeation barrier properties had to be accepted. Peroxide induced randomly distributed formation of cross-links above the melting point interfered with formation of crystalline regions upon cooling.

Keywords: crystallization; permeation; peroxide cross-linking; polyethylene; toughness

Corresponding author: Simon Backens, New Materials and Processes, Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP, Albert-Einstein-Straße 30, 18059 Rostock, Germany, E-mail: simon.backens@igp.fraunhofer.de

Funding source: European Regional Development Fund and Ministry of Economics, Employment and Health of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 10.13039/501100008530

Award Identifier / Grant number: TBI-V-1-282-VBW-100

About the authors

Simon Backens

Dipl.-Ing. Simon Backens, born in 1990, studied mechanical engineering at the TU Kaiserslautern. Since 2016, he has been a research assistant at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP in Rostock. He works in the Fiber Composite Technology Group of the New Materials and Processes Department.

Stefan Ofe

MEng Stefan Ofe, born in 1984, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Technology, Business and Design in Wismar. Since 2008, he has been working as a research assistant at the Institute of Polymer and Production Technologies e. V. in Wismar. He works in the field of material development of thermoplastic materials with a focus on thermal and mechanical properties.

Stefan Schmidt

Dr.-Ing. Stefan Schmidt, born in 1988, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Rostock and has been working at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP in Rostock since 2014. In 2020, he completed his doctorate on the topic of “Structural bonding of fiber-reinforced plastic composites”. Since 2020, he is team leader of the Fiber Composite Technology group.

Nikolai Glück

Dr.-Ing. Nikolai Glück, born in 1981, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Rostock and has been working at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP in Rostock since 2007 in the fields of adhesive bonding, fiber-reinforced plastics and corrosion protection. Since 2020, he is the Head of the Department for New Materials and Processes.

Wilko Flügge

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wilko Flügge, born in 1969, studied mechanical engineering at the TU Clausthal. At the University of Paderborn, he completed his doctorate on the subject of “Punch riveting of stainless steels”. Until 2017, he worked in research in the field of application technology at Salzgitter AG. Since June 2017, he has been chair holder of the Chair of Production Engineering at the University of Rostock and head of the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the European Union for the European Regional Development Fund and the Ministry of Economics, Employment and Health of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for the support of this research. The authors also would like to thank their project partner emano Kunststofftechnik GmbH for providing the cross-linkable polyethylene grade Revolve^® XL400.

Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: This work was supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the Ministry of Economics, Employment and Health of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (TBI-V-1-282-VBW-100).
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Published Online: 2022-03-09

Published in Print: 2022-02-23

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/mt-2021-2136

Keywords for this article

crystallization; permeation; peroxide cross-linking; polyethylene; toughness