KARAKTERISASI MATERIAL INSULASI KABEL LISTRIK TEGANGAN RENDAH DARI PRODUK LOKAL PASCA IRADIASI GAMMA

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study the effect of gamma radiation on the semi-crystalline polymer character of local product low-voltage electrical cable insulation material, related to its use in facilities with high gamma radiation. The test samples were irradiated using a Gamma Cell device with radiation doses of 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 kGy. The degree of crystallinity and compound composition of the test material were analyzed by XRD test and characterized using FTIR. Based on the XRD test, there was no significant difference observed in the diffraction pattern between the non-irradiated test material and the irradiated test material with a large variation in dose. This indicates that there is no major phase change of the crystalline compound contained in the related test sample. The degree of crystallinity of the test sample tends to decrease as the radiation dose increases. The FTIR results show that there is a fluctuating transmittance difference between test samples with different doses of gamma radiation as well as non-gamma irradiated test samples. The presence of increasingly widening spectra at 400 kGy and 800 kGy, at wavenumber 3369 – 3370 cm-1, indicates the presence of O-H stretch clusters. Further tests are needed to strengthen the identification of functional groups, determination of organic compoundsas well as the evaluation of the mechanical character of the test sample, which is also necessary to confirm the suspected disturbance in the polymer-plasticizer association.