Effects of electron beam irradiation on polyamide 12 with fiberglass reinforcement

In the present study, the effects of electron beam irradiation of polyamide 12 (PA12) with fiberglass reinforcement on the thermal and wear properties were investigated. Electron beam irradiation of PA 12 was carried out over a range of irradiation doses (100-600 kGy) in air. The gel formation in the presence of a curing agent was dependent on the radiation doses. The thermal properties of irradiated PA 12 were studied in the temperature region 50-250 degree C to observe the changes in the melting point with radiation dose. The dimensional stability was significantly increased by electron beam irradiation and the related crosslinking of the PA 12.