The effect of various levels of gamma radiation on some of the physical properties of Dacron,1 nylon, cotton, Orion,2 Fiberglas, Celanese X-36, and rayon was measured. Properties studied were flex fatigue, creep rate, melt points, stress strain, and shrinkage tension. In general, the effect of radiation is to worsen the physical properties of the cords evaluated. Some improvement was found in the case of nylon where shrinkage tension and creep rate were reduced. The relative resistance of the cords to radiation damage is apparent from the test data. Studies in both air and vacuum show that oxygen is a strong contributor to the degradation of the physical properties in the presence of radiation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Budd, C.B., "A Fatigue Test for Tire Cords," TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL21, 171-179 (1951).
2.
Charlesby, A. , "Effect of High Energy Radiation on Long Chain Polymers," Nature171, 167 (1953).
3.
Charlesby, A. , "How Irradiation Effects Long Chain Polymers ," Nucleonics12, 18-25 (1954).
4.
Gilfillan, E.S. , and Linden, L., "Effects of Nuclear Radiation on the Strength of Yarns," TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL25, 773-777 (1955).
5.
Lawton, E.J. , Miller, A.A., and Balwit, J.S., "Effect of Chemical Structure of Vinyl Polymers on Crosslinking and Degradation by Radiation," J. Polymer Sci.14. 503-504 (1954).
6.
Lawton, E.J. , "Irradiation of Polymers by High Energy Electronics ," Nature172, 76-77 (1953).
7.
Little, K., "Effects of Irradiation on Nylon and Polyethylene Terephthalate," Nature173, 680-681 (1954).
8.
McGrath, J., and Johnson, R.H., "The Effects of Gamma Radiation on Textile Materials," WADC Technical Report 56-15 ( February 1956).
9.
Todd, A., "Pile Irradiation of Polyethylene Terephthalate," Nature174, 613 (1954).
