Influence of electron beam irradiation on high-temperature mechanical properties of ethylene vinyl acetate/carbon fibers composites

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of carbon fiber (CF) and electron-beam (EB) radiation on high-temperature mechanical properties of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Polymer composites were prepared by mixing on a two-roll mill. After compression molding, the samples were irradiated between 60 and 180 kGy, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to characterize physical properties. The effects of filler content and radiation level on the mechanical properties of EVA/CF were evaluated. The shear stress and modulus were observed to increase with increasing of the filler level. However, there was a dramatic decrease in creep compliance. It was also shown that introduction of irradiation on EVA composite increases the shear stress and the real part of the dynamic shear modulus G' due to the increase in molecular weight and cross-linking of the polymer after irradiation. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers