Correlations between the processing variables and morphology of crosslinked polyethylene

Crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) is progressively replacing other types of polyethylene in electric cable insulation because of its combination of better mechanical and thermal performance and good dielectric properties. Besides its influence on the mechanical and thermal properties, the morphology plays a very important role in the electrical behavior of XLPE. The morphology has been studied in terms of the crystallinity and crosslinking density. These two apparently independent parameters govern the morphology of XLPE and have been investigated in connection with the systematic variation of the processing parameters (crosslinker concentration, cure time, and temperature). The materials have been characterized in terms of the extent of crosslinking (the gel content), the crosslinking density (the average molecular weight between crosslinks), and the crystallinity. A morphological model is proposed for these materials in terms of the mechanisms and rates of the processes involved. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.