Crystallization Behaviour of Irradiated Films Prepared from Polymer Blends

The thermodynamic parameters of crystallization and the mechanical properties of films of LDPE-IPP and EVA-iPP blends with different compositions, irradiated with fast electrons in the dose range 5-16 Mrad have been investigated. The crystallization temperatures of LDPE/EVA in pure polymer films and in blends decrease in the same way with the increase of the dose. The crystallization temperatures of IPP decrease stronger in blends than in pure polymer with the increase of the dose. This is explained by the migration of the IPP nuclei from the IPP melt to the crosslinked LDPE/EVA melt. It is established that the mechanical properties are determined by the existence of a statistical network with broad distribution of the lengths between crosslinks in the irradiated films.