Estimation of gel fraction of polyethylene cross-linked with silane by far-infrared absorption spectroscopy

Far-infrared absorption spectra were measured for low density polyethylene in a frequency range from 3.0 to 120 THz. When the polyethylene was cross-linked using vinyl silane, the absorption was found to increase in proportion to the cross-linking degree at 13.2, 30.9, and 32.7 THz, where absorption attributable to Si-O bonds appears. Therefore, the degree of cross-linking of polyethylene by vinyl silane can be estimated by far-infrared absorption spectroscopy.