Characterization of Polyethylene Pipe Properties Through Advanced Metrology Techniques

Abstract

This study utilized advanced characterization techniques to evaluate the quality and performance of polyethylene (PE) pipes for water and gas applications. Three pipe types were examined: PE100 for water (blue and black) and PE80 for gas (yellow). Computed tomography quantified porosity, revealing 2.3 times higher void fraction in black PE100 vs yellow PE80 pipes. Surface roughness metrics showed black PE100 pipes had the smoothest internal surface (Ra 1.459 μm) attributed to its carbon black pigment. Friction coefficients indicated yellow PE80 pipes exhibited the highest resistance to fluid flow (f = 0.0221) among the three. These findings have significant implications on pipe quality control and selection for manufacturers and end users. The results demonstrate how factors like polymer composition and pigments influence critical performance metrics like porosity, surface roughness and friction.