Abstract: 1,4-butanediol diacrylate was introduced into polypropylene (PP) using a Hakke internal mixer. Then, the PP samples were irradiated by a gamma ray for different time and subsequently tested with a rheometer and a melt strength tester. It was found that the storage value (G′) and the radius of ColeCole semicircle of the irradiatedPP decreased with increasing irradiation dose. Because the decomposition of PP chain increased with increasing irradiation time. However, melt strength of the irradiatedPP samples was higher than that of plain PP, increasing from 0.17 to 0.30 N.

Key words: polypropylene, radiation modification, rheological behavior, melt strength