Creep Behavior of High Density Polyethylene after Aging in Contact with Different Oil Derivates

The creep behavior of a high density polyethylene (HDPE), currently used as raw material for pipe manufacture, was evaluated before and after exposure to oil derivates using transient rheometry. The creep behavior of the original HDPE was satisfactorily described using a generalized Kelvin-Voigt model based on two retardation times. The values of these critical times were quite different from each other, indicating a large distribution of macromolecular weight. The aging procedure was performed by immersing the polymer in two model fluids chosen to discriminate and understand the action of aromatic and paraffinic fractions of fuel derivatives (white oil, gas-oil). The batch operation was also carried out at two different temperatures to investigate the thermal activation of plausible degrading mechanisms. In the case of the aging performed in the paraffinic fluid, the polymer compliance continuously increased with the immersion duration. This behavior was attributed to a plasticization induced by the diffusion of the liquid in the polymer matrix. The same phenomenon was observed in the early stage of the HDPE aging carried out with the aromatic fluid. However, for longer aging times, the extraction of low molecular weight species produced the stiffening of the thermoplastic. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:2122-2130, 2010. (C) 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers