English Abstract

Development of Rubber Material for High Radiation Field

Sadayoshi NAKATSUKASA
Takeshi TABASAKI
Akihiro YOSHIDA
Yoshito KADOWAKI
HAYAKAWA RUBBER CO., LTD., Fukuyama-shi, Hiroshima, Japan
Nippon Gomu Kyokaishi,(2013),86(12),378-381 General Review in Japanese

Generally flexible polymeric materials exposed to radiation can’t be used because they soften or harden remarkably in high radiation environment. Aromatic polymers such as PEEK, PI, and PES are also known as radiation-proof polymeric materials. Aromatic polymers are very hard, they can’t be used for products like a packing where flexibility is required. We developed a new vulcanized rubber compound by the use of various additives and polymer blend. This developed rubber compound has a high radiation-proof performance by reaction balance of cross-linking and decomposition in this rubber. This rubber compound has a rubber elasticity even if exposed to radiation of MGy level, and its radiation proof is more than 5 times as high as conventional polymeric materials. This rubber compound is much more flexible than the aromatic polymers which are the used as conventional radiation-proof polymers.

Keywords: Radiation, Radiation-resistivity, Radiation-deterioration, Polymer, Radioprotector