Long-Term Climatic Tests of High-Density Polyethylene in Very Cold Climate Conditions

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of the climatic resistance of high-density polyethylene containing stabilizing additives of various grades, which was exposed to very cold climate conditions (the territory of the urban district of Yakutsk, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)). The results of the study of physical and mechanical characteristics showed that oxidative destruction of high-density polyethylene begins already during the manufacturing of prototypes, which is reflected in the value of the relative elongation at break of the original high-density polyethylene after rolling. Since the introduction of stabilizing additives has a positive effect on the deformation characteristics of high-density polyethylene, it has been shown that the additives used in the work perform the function of thermal stabilization and plasticization. The results of the study of the melt flow index showed that at the initial stage of exposure (up to 6 months), predominantly intermolecular crosslinking reactions occur in the materials; an increase in the duration of the tests leads to the predominance of polymer chain rupture reactions over crosslinking reactions, as evidenced by a sharp decrease in melt viscosity. IR spectroscopic studies have shown that the introduction of stabilizers leads to a change in the mechanisms of processes occurring during aging. Climatic aging of high-density polyethylene without stabilizers is characterized by the predominant occurrence of disproportionation reactions, accompanied by the accumulation of vinyl groups, while materials with stabilizers exhibit a tendency to accumulate carbonyl groups. Based on the totality of the research results, the best resistance to the impact of climatic factors in very cold climates, characterized by extremely low temperatures in winter and high levels of solar insolation in summer, is demonstrated by materials containing hybrid bifunctional stabilizers of the CO-3 and CO-4 brands

The work was carried out within the framework of the State Assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (reg. no. 122011100162-9) using the scientific equipment of the Center for Collective Use of the FRC YaSC SB RAS

Please cite this article in English as:

Fedorov A.L., Petukhova E.S., Argunova A.G. Long-term climatic tests of high-density polyethylene in very cold climate conditions. Herald of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Series Natural Sciences, 2026, no. 1 (124), pp. 133--157 (in Russ.). EDN: WWKQWW

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