Utilization of the Changes in Mechanical Properties as Dosimeter Due to Gamma Irradiation of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Polymer materials are required to be used in nuclear power stations as insulation materials of electrical wire and cable. For the use of polymer materials in such regions, the electrical performance under different environments of radiation is different from that without radiation has been found through previous research. The aim of this paper is to use the change in mechanical properties with radiation dose to design polymer dosimeter. The experimental results show an improvement of Black PE mechanical properties such as distension, tensile strength and elongation at break as dose increases, indicating the predominance of cross-linking over oxidative degradation. The predominance of cross-linking results show linear relations between distension, tensile strength and elongation at break versus absorbed dose of gamma rays source. These relationships between these properties and dose level can be utilized as measuring tool (Dosimeter) for radiation exposure that incident on the HDPE samples.