Natural and artificial weathering of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE): Calorimetric analysis

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Abstract
Studies of the thermal and photodegradation of two commercial polymers, stabilized and unstabilized low‐density polyethylene, show the effects of weathering on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves. The shape and the size of the melting peak vary significantly in thermal aging and in accelerated photoirradiation, but no change was observed in natural weathering, implying that the crystallinity remains steady in outdoor exposures. The melting temperatures remain steady for all exposure tests. The fall of mechanical properties and the evolution of chemical structure, followed by IR spectroscopy results, especially near the carbonyl regions, were also observed. The resistance to UV light irradiation as probed by deformation at break was superior in stabilized LDPE compared to unstabilized LDPE. Simple correlations observed between the fall of mechanical properties, the rate of oxidation, and morphology. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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