In general, Crosslinking of a polymer reduce slightly its impact performance.
Silane crosslinked polyolefins are linked through a Si-O-Si moiety instead of the C-to-C bond created via peroxide or radiation cure. Siloxane bridges are less rigid than C-to-C bonds and give flexibility to the crosslinked polymer, as shown in the figure below.
Consequently, PEX crosslinked with Silane technology demonstrates superior impact resistance and tensile strength than PEX cured by peroxide or irradiation.
C-to-C bond: rigid
Si-O-Si bond: flexible
Structure of PE crosslinked
by Peroxide or Radiation
