Effects of charge trapping in gamma irradiated and accelerated aged low-density polyethylene

The effects of gamma irradiation in air and accelerated aging were studied through dielectric loss (tan /spl delta/) analysis in the temperature range from 25 to 325 K and using thermally stimulated discharge current measurements (TSDC). The radiation induced oxidation was observed using IR spectroscopy. The influence of radiation dose and accelerated aging on the intensities and the positions of the /spl gamma/ and /spl beta/ dielectric relaxation maxima were correlated with maxima of TSDC measurements, and found to be strongly dependent upon the changes in the microstructure of the amorphous phase and on the surface of the crystallites induced by oxidation and crosslinking.