Crosslinked Polyethylene Pipe Balancing Durability and Pressure Resistance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Crosslinked polyethylene pipes face a trade-off between long-term durability and short-term pressure resistance due to the mutual relationship between the degree of crosslinking and storage modulus, necessitating a balance to optimize these properties.

Innovation Solution

A crosslinked polyethylene pipe with a storage modulus of 100 to 115 MPa at 95°C, a degree of crosslinking of 80 to 90%, and specific molecular weight and density ranges, optimized through a crosslinking reaction with a crosslinking agent, producing a PE-Xa pipe with improved molecular structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the degree of crosslinking is increased to improve long-term durability, then the storage modulus increases, but short-term pressure resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelong-term durabilityVSAvoidshort-term pressure resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the degree of crosslinking within 60-90% and storage modulus within 80-120 MPa. This optimization of crosslinking parameters resolves the contradiction by finding the optimal range where both long-term durability and short-term pressure resistance are maximized, rather than simply increasing crosslinking degree without bounds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If the storage modulus is increased to improve short-term pressure resistance, then the degree of crosslinking increases, but long-term durability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort-term pressure resistanceVSAvoidlong-term durability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by establishing an optimal parameter range where storage modulus is controlled at 80-120 MPa and degree of crosslinking at 60-90%. This balanced parameter optimization ensures that neither property excessively dominates, achieving simultaneous improvement in both short-term pressure resistance and long-term durability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If the degree of crosslinking is optimized for long-term durability, then the molecular structure becomes more stable, but the flexibility and processability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemolecular structure stabilityVSAvoidflexibility and processability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the degree of crosslinking within 60-90%, which is sufficient to stabilize the molecular structure for long-term durability but not so high as to excessively reduce flexibility and processability. This optimized parameter range resolves the contradiction between stability and manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The optimized pipe achieves excellent long-term durability and short-term pressure resistance, suitable for various applications requiring these properties.

Implementation Method 1

Crosslinked polyethylene was developed by an electric wire company in 1960 to improve the temperature characteristics by heat generation of an electric wire

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrosslinking reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

a storage modulus (E') at 95°C of 100 to 115 MPa when the dynamic viscoelasticity is measured under the conditions of vibrational frequency of 1 Hz and strain of 0.1%

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDynamic viscoelasticity: Viscoelasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3910220B1Crosslinked polyethylene pipe with excellent properties
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 LG CHEM LTD
  • EP3910220B1 patent drawing
  • EP3910220B1 patent drawing
  • EP3910220B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a crosslinked polyethylene pipe having excellent physical properties. The crosslinked polyethylene pipe according to the present disclosure has optimized the degree of crosslinking and storage modulus by finding out the optimum physical property range between the degree of crosslinking and the storage modulus which have a mutual trade-off relationship, whereby the crosslinked polyethylene pipe according to the present disclosure has excellent long-term durability and short-term pressure resistance, and thus can be applied to various fields requiring these physical properties.