Infrared Characterization of the Crosslinking Cross-Sectional Profile of Polyethylene Pipe

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PexCor Manufacturing is a company based in Calgary, AB that manufactures high quality and affordablePEX-a crosslinked polyethylene pipe for use in industrial and household plumbing and heating applications.The Dutcher Laboratory at the University of Guelph will use the fingerprinting capability of infrared (IR)spectroscopy to characterize the crosslinking reaction that is accomplished by exposure of the polyethylenepipe to intense near-infrared light. This will allow the determination of the cross-sectional profile of IRabsorption across 2-mm thick manufactured PEX-a pipe, helping PexCor to optimize the uniformity ofcrosslinking in the pipe. This will provide a competitive advantage to PexCor that will allow the company tomaintain and increase its North American market share and make a significant contribution to the economy ofCanada. This new collaboration between PexCor and the Dutcher Laboratory initiated by the present proposalis expected to lead to further research collaboration opportunities such as studying how other properties, e.g.structural and mechanical, influence the performance and lifetime of PEX-a pipe.