Pressure dependence of free radical decay in irradiated isotactic polypropylene

Free radicals were generated in isotactic polypropylene by gamma-irradiation. The samples were annealed at pressures between 1 and 8000 atm and temperatures between 60 and 110°. The concentration of free radicals was estimated by the ESR method. The rate constants of free radical decay were determined for various pressures and temperatures. The rate constant of free radical decay decreases with increasing pressure while the activation energy increases. The relationship between the kinetics of molecular motion and the kinetics of free radical decay is discussed.     

ESR study on radical conversions in irradiated low-density polyethylene

ESR studies were carried out on radical conversions by thermal and photochemical mechanisms in low-density polyethylene irradiated mainly with electron beams at ?196°C both in vacuum and in the presence of CO. According to the spectral change, the following radical conversions were elucidated for the samples irradiated in vacuo [eqs. (1) and (1′)] and in the presence of CO [eqs. (2) and (2′)]. From the resemblance of the ESR spectrum observed after direct photolysis of polyethylene to that observed after photo-induced radical conversions of the allylic radicals, it is concluded that an eight-line ESR spectrum observed immediately after photolysis of polyethylene at ?196°C could be attributed more reasonably to the alkyl radicals ? CH₂CHCH₃ than to ? CH₂CH₂ and ? CH₂CHCH₂? .     

Hydrogen catalysis of alkyl radical decay in single crystalline polyethylene

Although hydrogen gas is about tenfold more soluble in hot-filtered mats of polyethylene (PE) single crystals (SC) than in bulk linear PE, we found that no hydrogen solubility at all could be measured in freeze-dried SC. Despite this, hydrogen gas still exerts a catalytic effect on alkyl radical decay on both the fast and slow first-order decay reactions in the freeze-dried samples. Above 40°C the first-order decay constants of the slowly decaying component decrease with increasing fold period.     

Relation of the decay of free radicals in irradiated polyethylene to the molecular motion of the polymer and the configurations of the free radicals

Decay reactions of the free radicals produced in irradiated polyethylene (high-density and low-density materials) were examined in connection with the molecular motion of the matrix polymer. Three temperature regions, in which the free radicals decay very rapidly, at around 120, 200, and 250°K, were designated T_A, T_L, and T_B, respectively. The decay of the free radicals at these temperatures had activation energies in high-density polyethylene of 0.4 kcal/mole for T_A, 9.4 kcal/mole for T_L, and 18.4 kcal/mole for T_B. In low-density polyethylene these quantities were 0.7 kcal/mole for T_A, 23.1 kcal/mole for T_L, and 24.8 kcal/mole for T_B. Comparison of time constants for the decay reactions and for molecular motion of the matrix polymer indicate that the decay in T_A and T_B is closely related to molecular motion in the amorphous regions of the polymer. The decay of the free radicals at T_L in high-density polyethylene is due to molecular motion associated with local mode relaxation at lamellar surfaces, while that of low-density polyethylene is due to local mode relaxation in the completely amorphous region. Steric configurations of the free radicals which decay in the respective temperature regions were also investigated.     

Radiation chemistry of polyethylene. XIV. Allyl radical decay kinetics in different types of polyethylene

The decay kinetics of the chain allyl free radical has been studied in the following morphological forms of polyethylene (PE): Marlex bulk film, hydrogenated PE, and extended-chain PE. Coupled with previous work on single-crystalline PE it can be seen that the decay rate is greater the more amorphous the sample. In the Marlex bulk film and hydrogenated PE the decay can be interpreted in terms of a simultaneous fast and slow decay process by means of our Q-function equation, but with rising temperature the decay approximates a single rate process. With extended-chain PE the allyl decay rate does not become appreciable until the melting range is approached. The fraction of allyl radicals decaying by the slow process is 2 to 10 times greater than the fraction of fast decaying radicals. The ratio of the fast decay rate constant to that of the slow rate constant is greater for the bulk Marlex film than for the hydrogenated PE. All ratios decrease with rising temperature. For times up to about 150 min the allyl decay in the extended-chain PE accurately follows a single second-order decay law with a time-independent diffusion controlled reaction rate constant.     

ESR study of pressure dependence of free-radical decay in irradiated polystyrene

Radicals giving the usual triplet ESR spectrum have been generated in polystyrene by γ-irradiation at room temperature. The decay of the radicals has been investigated in the temperature interval between 90° and 200° and pressures ranging from 1 to 8000 atm. The effect of pressure on the mechanism of the free-radical decay is discussed. There are two regions of free-radical decay showing different activation volumes: V_I = 11.5 cm³/mole and V_II = 66 cm³/mole. The correlation between molecular motion in the α-relaxation region and radical decay is pointed out.     

ESR study of free radicals produced in polyethylene irradiated by ultraviolet light

ESR studies of ultraviolet-irradiated polyethylene (PE) were carried out. Irradiation effects different from those of high-energy radiation are observed. Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed selectively, and especially in carbonyl groups in PE produced by oxidation. Radicals produced were identified as \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \hbox{---} {\rm CH}_2 \hbox{---} {\dot {\rm C}} {\rm H} \hbox{---}{\rm CHO}$\end{document} and \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \hbox{---} {\rm CH}_2 \hbox{---} {\dot {\rm C}} {\rm H} \hbox{---}{\rm CH}_2 \hbox{---}$\end{document}. Some radicals giving a quintet signal stable at room temperature were also observed but remained unidentified. The radical \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \hbox{---} {\rm CH}_2 \hbox{---} {\dot {\rm C}} {\rm H} \hbox{---}{\rm CHO}$\end{document} undergoes a mutual conversion with the acyl radical:      

Crystallization of irradiated polyethylene

This study compares the effects of radiation dose on the isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization of LLDPE, LDPE and HDPE by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It includes qualitative comparison of the non-isothermal data and quantitative calculations of Avrami parameters for crystallization rate and nucleation mode. The isothermal crystallization allowed the observation of the changes in the crystallization rate, related to the decrease in the crystallization temperature caused by the crosslinking of the polymer. It was also observed by the non-isothermal crystallization, the development of crystallites of very different sizes in the polymer.     

Styrene-assisted free radical grafting of glycidyl methacrylate onto polyethylene in the melt

Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) is a very useful monomer as it bears an epoxy group which is capable of reacting with various other functional groups. However, its melt free radical grafting reactivity onto a polymer backbone is low. In this study, we show that the use of styrene (St) as a comonomer greatly promotes both GMA's grafting yield and grafting rate onto polyethylene (PE). It is proposed that, in the presence of St, the dominant mechanism of the free radical grafting of GMA onto PE is that St reacts first with PE secondary macroradicals and the resulting styryl macroradicals then copolymerize with GMA leading to grafted GMA. We also show that the contribution of St is not related to an improved solubility of GMA in the molten PE. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 2763–2774, 1998     

Free-radical decay in irradiated PMMA

Data from the literature are analyzed to show that decay of the chain-end radical of PMMA in the regime of 80–130°C and 1–13000 atm occurs by two mechanisms operating in parallel. These processes are characterized by activation volumes of ca. 70 ų (I) and ca. ～7.5 Å₃ (II), suggesting that decay by process I occurs by chain-end diffusion and decay by process II occurs by unzipping of the polymer radical to the monomer.     

Hydroperoxide formation in irradiated polyethylene

Spectroscopic analysis for hydroperoxide in irradiated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, on the basis of the formation of a nitrate derivative after exposure to dilute nitric oxide, is examined. Hydroperoxide is found to be an important intermediate in the oxidation of polyethylene and is believed to result from hydrogen abstraction reactions by peroxy radicals in a polyethylene matrix. During γ irradiation in air, the rates of bimolecular combination of peroxy radicals on the surface to form ketones or hydrogen abstraction to form hydroperoxides are similar. However, as a result of bimolecular combination, the concentration of peroxy radicals decreases. After irradiation and storage in ambient air, isolated peroxy radicals below the polymer surface induce a slow chain reaction leading to a long-term increase in hydroperoxides and carbonyls. Differences in hydroperoxide and oxygen content for samples irradiated in air or vacuum are primarily confined to or near the surface. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3309–3316, 1999     

Comparative decay characteristics of the light generated free radical in chromatophores and chloroplasts

Abstract— Chromatophores of Rhodospirillum rubrum when illuminated exhibit a free radical which ordinarily shows a biphasic decay. When chromatophores are dehydrated at room temperature the time course of the appearance of the light-induced free radical is unaffected, but the decay pattern has been altered. Only the fast component remains, the slow component is no longer evident. Scanning the magnetic field reveals the presence of a dark signal which is stable as long as the preparation remains dehydrated. This signal has the same peak-to-peak line width of ? 10 G and the same g factor as the signal evident in the light. The amplitude of this signal is equal to the amplitude of the slow decay component seen in aqueous chromatophore suspensions. Chromatophores frozen in an aqueous medium at —150°C exhibit a behavior identical with dehydrated preparations. The effects produced by lyophilization or by freezing at low temperatures are entirely reversible. When a lyophilized preparation is re-hydrated, the stabilized portion of the signal now decays in the dark; the same is observed when preparations frozen at —150°C are thawed. When such thawed or re-hydrated preparations are illuminated again, they exhibit the usual light-induced ESR signal showing a biphasic dark decay. A comparison was made between the behavior of the light-induced ESR signal of chromatophores and that of system I of chloroplasts. This comparison revealed that there is a greater similarity in some of the decay characteristics of these signals than had been recognized previously. In chloroplasts, temperature insensitive, non-enzymatic back-reactions of the light-induced free radical appear to be nil, and in chromatophores a distinct portion of the light-induced free radicals exhibit the same characteristics. Another portion of the chromatophore free radicals must be able to back-react by electron tunneling, a mechanism which appears to be absent in the chloroplast system.     

Pressure dependence of free radical decay in polyamide VI: An ESR study

The ESR spectrum of polyamide VI has been analysed and the rate constant of free radical decay was determined over a wide range of pressure (1–16,000 atm) and temperature (80–120°). It appeared that the rate constant of decay decreased with increasing pressure. The ESR spectrum consisted of three component spectra, the proportions of which determined the shape of the overall spectrum for various conditions.     

Profile of oxidation in irradiated polyethylene

Following gamma irradiation in air which causes bond scission and yields large concentrations of peroxy radicals, maximum oxidation and an increase in crystallinity occurs on the surface of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. Here, bimolecular reactions of peroxy radicals generate carbonyls, mostly ketones. On the polymer surface, peroxy radicals continue to react over time periods of years to generate carbonyls and chain scission. Peroxy radicals in the interior of the polymer abstract hydrogens and form hydroperoxides, inducing chain reactions and a slow but continue increase of ketone. Within the polymer sample, to a decreasing depth with increasing dose, a reduced concentration of oxygen is available to react with radiolytic radicals, so that more efficient crosslinking and a low level of hydroperoxide chain reaction occur. After long periods of time a surface maximum in carbonyl concentration is produced. Heating polyethylene in high pressures of oxygen accelerates the oxidative process. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 329–339, 1998     

H-atom abstraction kinetics in solids influenced by free radical decay during their accumulation

The effect of irradiation time on the monomolecular nonexponential decay kinetics of free radicals has been investigated theoretically and experimentally. Equations are derived for the accumulation and dark-decay kinetics. These are in agreement with experimental data obtained for H-atom abstraction reactions by CH₃ radicals in methanol glass at 77 K.     

Oxidative degradation products of irradiated polyethylene

Oxidative thermal degradation products of polyethylenes at various temperatures crosslinked with electron beams have been analyzed with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are determined at a temperature range of 200–340°C, and the activation energies of the unirradiated and the irradiated polyethylene (at 100 Mrad) are 13.5 and 11.4 Kcal/mole, respectively. C₁ to C₈ hydrocarbons produced in air and in nitrogen are determined at temperatures from 400 to 450°C for the polyethylenes. The irradiated polyethylene produces less hydrocarbons in air than the unirradiated polyethylene, contrary to the fact that the crosslinked polymer evolves more hydrocarbons than the unirradiated polymer in a nitrogen atmosphere. Aldehydes and ketones are observed in the volatile oxidative degradation products, and these carbonyl compounds increase quantitatively with increase of temperature up to about 460°C. It is concluded that irradiated polyethylene is thermally more unstable in the absence of oxygen and more easily oxidable at low degradation temperatures in air than unirradiated polyethylene. Irradiated polyethylene, however, is more heat-stable than unirradiated polyethylene from the standpoint of the ignition process.     

Nitric acid oxidation of irradiated polyethylene

Samples of high-density polyethylene were irradiated with x-rays and oxidized with concentrated nitric acid to determine the location of unsaturated groups. Vinyl groups initially present in the polymer were rapidly oxidized to the extent of 85% and are assumed to be excluded from the crystals. Vinylene groups show a rapid oxidation followed by slow oxidation. The initial oxidation is about 35%, which is slightly greater than the 25% amorphous content of the polymer prior to irradiation. Diene groups are rapidly oxidized by nitric acid but are formed at about the same rate in crystalline and amorphous samples. This is interpreted to indicate that diene groups are formed throughout the polymer but form large defects in crystalline regions and are accessible to oxidation. Defects formed in crystalline regions during irradiation lower the melting point to a greater extent than predicted by the mole fraction of noncrystallizable units.     

Cage effects in recombination of allyl radicals in irradiated polyethylene. II. Cumulative reaction rates and decay kinetic processes

Hwang and Cheng have studied the recombination reaction of allyl radicals in irradiated polyethylene by including the effects of (i) diffusion of macroradicals by jumps of finite size in the crystalline phase and (ii) a caging reaction with a finite rate in the disordered region. In this work their results are used to analyze cumulative reaction rate data on the decay of allyl radicals in extended-chain and Marlex film polyethylene. The kinetic parameters obtained show the effects of reaction temperature, irradiation dose, and morphological differences.     

Effect of pressure on the free radical reactions of 2-alkoxytetrahydropyrans

In free radical transformations of 2-methoxy- and 2-ethoxytetrahydropyran initiated bytert-butoxy radicals at 130°C, the relative rate of formation of -valerolactone and valeric acid ester was found to change periodically with increase in the extent of transformation, expressed astert-butyl alcohol (TBA) concentration. The ratio of lactone: ether concentration is determined not by the pressure (up to 1000 MPa) as suggested earlier, but by the amplitudes and phase displacement of the oscillations of the rates of formation of lactone and ester. These results are explained by changes in the physical structure of the solution in proportion to the buildup of reaction products as a result of which the reactivity of the 2-alkoxytetrahydropyranyl radical changes in respect of rupture of the endocyclic and exocyclic C-O bonds.N. D. Zelinskii Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117913. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 822–828, April, 1992.     

Influence of allyl ethers on free radical polymerization of styrene

The effect of allyl ethers on the free radical polymerization of styrene has been studied with respect to chain transfer, copolymerization, and conversion. The studies have been performed in an inert atmosphere or in air. Six different allyl ethers have been used as model substances in order to show the effect of structural differences of the ethers on the polymerization. Contrary to what was expected, no chain transfer through hydrogen abstraction was found. Nor did any copolymerization occur. When the polymerization was performed in air, the allyl ethers had a retarding effect on the polymerization rate, due to oxidation of the allyl ethers. The oxidation rate of the allyl ethers was found to be related to their structure, where the functionality and presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding are the main factors.