The Importance Of E-Beam Crosslinking In The Production Of Heat Shrinkable Products

INTRODUCTION

3.1. BACKGROUND
Radiation processing is the technology of creating desirable
and useful changes (reactions) in the structure and
properties of materials by treatment with ionizing radiation.
It involves the application of man-made or natural sources of
high energy radiation in (large) industrial processes.

This paper will concentrate on the irradiation of plastics/
elastomers in general and more specifically, on the
crosslinking of heat shrink tubing/products (HST/HSP).

Natural gamma radiation from Cobalt-60 (Co-60) sources can be
employed, but E—beams are normally preferred because of their
higher efficiency/speed and consequent economics.
From the ± 500 electron accellerators muse to date, more
than 1/3 rd are for crosslinking of wire, cable and heat
shrink tubing. Also 1/3 rd is for memory-heat shrink products
(films, tubing, shield terminationsandshapes).

Table 1 gives an overview of the number of E-beam units in
use throughout the world (1).