IRRADIATING OXYGEN-SENSITIVE CROSS-LINKABLE POLYMER MATERIAL ARTICLE WITHOUT USE OF FULLY GAS-TIGHT CONTAINER

摘要

A method of radiation processing a product made at least in part from an oxygen sensitive cross-linkable polymeric material, especially PVC covered wire. The product is sealed in a flexible container, which may be simply a heavy gauge polyethylene film bag, and is subjected to gamma radiation in the container. The volume and permeability of the flexible container are such that the ratio of the sum of the volume of oxygen contained in it and the volume of oxygen that will diffuse into it during the irradiation period to the exposed surface area of the polymeric material is less than a critical value which can be determined empirically for each particular polymeric material. For PVC coated wires, the critical value is normally in the range 50 to 150cm3 per m2.