Effects of electron-beam irradiation on some mechanical properties of polymer films

Effect of the electron-beam irradiation on the tensile strength at break, elongation at break, and tear resistance for packaging films made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is discussed. The measurements in both the machine direction and the transverse direction were made. It was found that the electron irradiation caused an increase in the tear resistance of the LDPE film when doses of up to 100 kGy were applied. A significant decrease and even loss of the tear resistance of the films of BOPP and, partially, PET were observed at doses already below 25 kGy. This indicates that the BOPP and PET films when modified with the electron radiation can hardly be used in packaging. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.