To investigate the influence of morphology on fatigue strength of polyethylene, the change in fatigue strength and relaxation behavior by annealing was evaluated using high-density polyethylene, which has few short branches, and medium-density polyethylene, which has many short branches. For medium-density polyethylene, which showed higher fatigue strength, he annealing had a small effect on β relaxation behavior and the fatigue strength was increased by annealing at 110°C. Alternately, for high-density polyethylene which showed lower fatigue strength, annealing decreased the fatigue strength and enlarged the intensity of β relaxation. It was thought that the fatigue strength of high-density polyethylene was dependent on entanglement by fine crystals and that the disappearance of that by annealing yielded lower fatigue strength and the enlargement of β relaxation intensity.
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