Photooxidation behaviour of LDPE/Clay nanocomposite measured through creep curves

Abstract

The creep response of Polymer systems is typically investigated upon applying different loads, or under different temperature. However, no evidence exist of creep studies under different loads and temperatures and the simultaneos actionof accelerated weathering. In a previous paper La Mantia et al. [1] presented a new equipment that is able to subject polymer samples to creep under different loads, but also monitor the effect of photooxidation due to the temperature, humidity and UV irradiation, thus fully simulating the real operating conditions for polymer-based items. In tihs work a polyethylene/organomodified caly nanocompositehas been subjectedto combined creep-accelerated weathering conditions.