Effect of Different Radiation Doses on the Electrical and Mechanical Properties of PVC Insulation Cable

Abstract

The cable sheath has a very important function as an initial barrier to the spread of flame because it has a significant effect on fire expansion. Thus, it is of great significance in this project to carry out research on modification for cable sheath material to enhance its properties. In this project, the project emphasized the effect of different ratio of PVC with TMPTA as a crosslinking agent. The PVC was exposed to electron beam irradiation to improve the crosslinking properties of the cable sheath. Optimum radiation dose for crosslink through electron beam irradiation was determined using gel content test. For mechanical test, tensile test was conducted to determine mechanical properties of unirradiated and irradiated the composition. To determine electrical properties, conductivity and resistivity tests were carried out. Main outcome from this project is different ratio of PVC and TMPTA compound enhance with crosslink method to the PVC will contribute different properties of mechanical and electrical. The result of gel content test shows increasing irradiation dose was accompanied by increasing gel fraction for all PHR samples. The highest degree of crosslinking recorded at PHR 5 with 100kGy which is 74.186%. For tensile test, it shown that PHR5 exhibited the highest tensile strength and elastic region which is 21.12 N/mm2 while elongation at break was the lowest which is 14.4997 mm at doses 100kGy. For electrical test, at 50 Hz, PHR 5 exhibited the lowest conductivity of 0.92× 10−8 S/cm at 100 kGy.