Electron and Corona Bombardment of Polyethylene

Journal Article · Sat Apr 07 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/194080a0· OSTI ID:4794548

CORNISH, E. H.

A charged steel sphere was placed on a polyethylene surface for 20 to 120 hr, and a ring of oxalic acid crystals was formed around the point of contact. It was suggested that electrons from the sphere travelled along the lines of force of the applied field, and calculations based on this concept gave ring diameter values in accordance with the experimental results. Investigations were made to show whether the high-energy electrons used for crosslinking had the same effects as a corona discharge in producing oxalic acid. However, studies indicate that oxalic acid is not formed. A mechanism is given for the formation of oxalic acid by a corona discharge in moist air. The mechanism depends on an initial combination between molecular oxygen and electrons of low energy produced by ionization in the polymer. It is probable that under the bombardment conditions of the experiments such lowenergy electrons were produced in insignificant numbers. However, the absence of surface cracking or checking in fast electron irradiated polyethylene further differentiates this type of treatment from that of corona discharges.

• Research Organization: Standard Telecommunication Labs., Ltd., Harlow, Essex, Eng.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-014795
• OSTI ID: 4794548
• Journal Information: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 4823 Vol. 194; ISSN 0028-0836
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
AIR
CORONA EFFECT
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRONS
ENERGY
HUMIDITY
IONIZATION
OXALIC ACID
OXYGEN
POLYETHYLENES
POLYMERIZATION
POLYMERS
SPHERES
STEELS