Apar has set up a technologically advanced state of the art green field project at Khatalwada, Gujarat, with 1.5 MeV and 3.0 MeV Electron Beam Accelerators along with handling systems suitable for irradiation of various types of Electrical & Automotive Cables & Wires, PE Sheets, Polymeric Tubes/ Pipes, Heat Shrink products, Gems & Diamonds, Medical product sterilization, manufacturing of PTFE micropowder. The E-Beam irradiation curing of Elastomer and other polymeric cables has several advantages over conventional steam/dry curing method.

E-Beam Technology

Radiation has been used in various fields such as nuclear physics, chemistry, medical and isotopes ever since X-Ray was first discovered by Roentgen in 1895. The Radiation chemistry has become popular in various industrial fields after radiation cross-linking phenomena was experimented in polyethylene in 1952. Presently over 1800 (estimated) electron accelerators based processing units are in operation worldwide with 650 units in North America, 380 in Japan, 240 in China, 6 in India (with our machines added).

As the name implies, Electron Beam is the flow of high energy electrons and the energy is obtained as kinetic energy when the electrons move in a high electric field. The radiation processing by Electron Beam is a Physical reaction caused in a material by an exposure to its irradiation. The E-Beam Irradiation is a process in which the polymer is exposed to an energetic, highly charged stream of electrons. Polymers are made of hydrocarbons having C=C as strong bond and C-H as weak bond. The principal effect of high velocity electrons is to break the existing weak hydrogen bonds & create a free radical in the polymeric insulation materials. Similarly another electron penetrates and knocks off another H and creates another free radicals. These two free radicals react with each other and form a double bond which we call as cross-links between molecules. This cross linking significantly improves Thermal, Mechanical and Chemical properties of the polymer i.e. insulation & sheathing materials. Electron beam irradiation (for crosslinking) makes the polymer dimensionally more stable under the influence of heat, resistant to chemicals, solvents and high temperatures, tough and more abrasion resistant. The conventional methods of cross-linking based on thermally induced chemical reaction "chemical cross-linking", have drawbacks that it is carried out at high temperatures which does effect the life of Polymers due to degradation caused by high temperature exposure whereas the electron-beam cross-linking is carried out at room temperature. With the electron-beam accelerators, the insulation materials can be cross-linked within a few seconds. The homogenous irradiation ensures that the homogenous cross-linking is achieved. The term Irradiation is simply the act of applying radiation (or radiant energy) to some material.

The Electron Beam Cross Linked (EBXL) wires and cables offer superior performance in demanding application and in extreme environments. Some of the improved Mechanical Properties are: