Hardness Evolution of Gamma-Irradiated Polyoxymethylene

Abstract

This study focuses on analyzing hardness evolution in gamma-irradiated polyoxymethylene (POM) exposed to elevated temperatures after irradiation. Hardness increases with increasing annealing temperature and time, but decreases with increasing gamma ray dose. Hardness changes are attributed to defects generated in the microstructure and molecular structure. Gamma irradiation causes a decrease in the glass transition temperature, melting point, and extent of crystallinity. The kinetics of defects resulting in hardness changes follow a first-order structure relaxation. The rate constant adheres to an Arrhenius equation, and the corresponding activation energy decreases with increasing dose due to chain scission during gamma irradiation. The structure relaxation of POM has a lower energy barrier in crystalline regions than in amorphous ones. The hardness evolution in POM is an endothermic process due to the semi-crystalline nature of this polymer.