Insulation Enhancement Products — Technology
Heat-shrink material is cross-linked polymer: chemical or electron-beam crosslinking locks in a 'shape memory' that recovers to its original moulded profile on heating.
Technical drawings
Heat-shrink technology relies on controlled crosslinking of molecular chains, induced either chemically or by electron-beam irradiation.
Crosslinking fixes each molecule's position relative to its neighbours — the material's 'shape memory'. The crosslinked structure resists flow under heat below its crystalline melting point; above that temperature the crystals disappear, the material softens, and it shrinks back to its originally moulded shape and profile.
Insulation Enhancement Products - Technology
Key Features
- Crosslinking induced by chemical means or electron-beam irradiation
- Crosslinked chains fix each molecule's relative position, giving the material 'shape memory'
- Resists flow under heat below the crystalline melting temperature
- Above the crystalline melting temperature, the material softens and shrinks back to its original moulded shape