TY - JOUR A1 - Geburtig, Anja A1 - Wachtendorf, Volker A1 - Schmidt, Anita A1 - Goedecke, Thomas T1 - Combined impact of UV radiation and nitric acid on HDPE containers during outdoor exposure T1 - Kombinierte Einwirkung von UV-Strahlung und Salpetersäure auf HDPE-Behälter bei der Freibewitterung T2 - Materials Testing N2 - Unpigmented HDPE jerrycans filled with nitric acid (55%) and water respectively had been exposed to outdoor conditions for one Berlin summer season. As both liquids underwent equal temperature progression, exposure effects of UV radiation and nitric acid as well as of their combination can be separated and compared. On the basis of various property changes after these exposures, synergistic action is evaluated and compared to a damaged Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) from a transport accident. It is found that carbonyl formation goes along with lightness increase in color measurement due to microcracking and with a worsening in mechanical behavior, all of them showing synergistic effects of UV and nitric acid exposure. In contrast, embedding nitrogen compounds goes along with yellowing of the material but cannot be correlated to oxidation. The reason for intensified damaging is the decomposition of the 55-percent nitric acid and formation of nitrogen oxides even at ambient temperatures, caused by UV radiation. Thus, damaging effects become similar to those caused by fuming nitric acid exposure at temperatures above 60 °C, with the result of strong oxidative degradation of the polyethylene. In contrast, exclusive exposure to the 55-percent nitric acid at 40 °C does not cause any failure. It can therefore be assumed that also the damaged IBC had been exposed to both UV radiation and nitric acid, probably outdoors. PB - Carl Hanser Verlag CY - München KW - Polyethylene KW - Nitric acid KW - UV radiation KW - Outdoor weathering KW - Resistance PY - 2018 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-bam/frontdoor/index/index/docId/44567 AN - OPUS4-44567 SN - 0025-5300 VL - 60 IS - 3 SP - 257 EP - 264 AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany