Thermal degradation of polymer-fire retardant mixtures—Part II: Mechanism of interaction in polypropylene-chlorinated paraffin mixtures

The thermal degradation of polypropylene is accelerated when it is heated in mixtures with a fire retardant chlorinated paraffin (Cl 70%) whose dehydrochlorination rate is simultaneously reduced.The mechanism proposed to account for this behaviour involves the attack of the chlorine atoms, which propagate the dehydrochlorination reaction, on the tertiary hydrogen atoms of polypropylene with formation of HCl. The kinetic chain length of the dehydrochlorination is decreased and the rate of evolution of HCl is lowered, while the radicals formed on the polypropylene chain lead to its scission and volatilisation.The effects of these reactions on the fire retardant performance of the mixture are discussed.     

Degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) by u.v. radiation—II: Mechanism

The mechanism of the light-induced degradation of solid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) has been investigated, and an overall reaction scheme has been developed, based on values of the quantum yields for the primary photoproducts. Only a very small fraction (0.2%) of the excited polyenes induces the degradation of PVC, primarily by photocleavage of the allylic CCl bond. The high instability of β-chloroalkyl radicals is responsible for the chain dehydrochlorination that leads to formation of polyenes. In the absence of O₂, chain scissions and crosslinking are postulated to originate mainly from α-chloroalkyl radicals through β-cleavage of CC bonds and radical coupling, respectively. In the presence of O₂, the chain dehydrochlorination still proceeds, together with an oxidative chain process which yields, via peroxy and alkoxy radicals, hydroperoxides, ketones and peroxide crosslinks. Cleavage of the polymer backbone results most probably from the decomposition of tertiary alkoxy radicals by a carbon-carbon β-scission process.     

Structural defects in polyvinylchloride—I. Internal unsaturation as initiation sites for dehydrochlorination

To obtain double bonds in PVC, copolymerizations of vinyl chloride (VC) with phenylacetylene (PA) and dimethylester of 2-butyne dioic acid (ADCE) were carried out. Copolymer compositions, as measured by i.r., were compared with ozonolytically evaluated chain scission numbers. Only the PA-units seemed to be incorporated at random in the PVC-chain. Phenyl groups conjugated to the double bonds led to a striking increase in thermal dehydrochlorination. Ozonolysis on degraded PVC samples provides insight into the mechanism of the dehydrochlorination, revealing the formation of additional unsaturated sites after degradation and permitting the estimation of average polyene sequence lengths.     

Evaluation of Philips and Ziegler-Natta high-density polyethylene degradation during processing in an internal mixer using the chain scission and branching distribution function analysis

The oxidative and thermo-mechanical degradation of HDPE was studied during processing in an internal mixer under two conditions: totally and partially filled chambers, which provides lower and higher concentrations of oxygen, respectively. Two types of HDPEs, Phillips and Ziegler-Natta, having different levels of terminal vinyl unsaturations were analyzed. Materials were processed at 160, 200, and 240 °C. Standard rheograms using a partially filled chamber showed that the torque is much more unstable in comparison to a totally filled chamber which provides an environment depleted of oxygen. Carbonyl and transvinylene group concentrations increased, whereas vinyl group concentration decreased with temperature and oxygen availability. Average number of chain scission and branching (n_s) was calculated from MWD curves and its plotting versus functional groups' concentration showed that chain scission or branching takes place depending upon oxygen content and vinyl groups' consumption. Chain scission and branching distribution function (CSBDF) values showed that longer chains undergo chain scission easier than shorter ones due to their higher probability of entanglements. This yields macroradicals that react with the vinyl terminal unsaturations of other chains producing chain branching. Shorter chains are more mobile, not suffering scission but instead are used for grafting the macroradicals, increasing the molecular weight. Increase in the oxygen concentration, temperature, and vinyl end groups' content facilitates the thermo-mechanical degradation reducing the amount of both, longer chains via chain scission and shorter chains via chain branching, narrowing the polydispersity. Phillips HDPE produces a higher level of chain branching than the Ziegler-Natta's type at the same processing condition.     

Dehydrochlorination reactions in polymers. Part II. Chlorinated polystyrene

The dehydrochlorination of chlorinated polystyrene was studied in the temperature range 120–220°C., when HCl was the sole volatile product. The dehydrochlorination was accompanied by the slow development of color and chain scission. The elimination rate fell too rapidly with reaction extent to be accounted for by reduction of reagent. Solution studies in o-dichlorobenzene indicated that the reaction was initially first-order in polymer concentration but was retarded by the polyene reaction products. The overall elimination was interpreted as a radical process in which the product was an active retarder. These observations are also valid for the elimination of HBr from brominated polystyrene.     

PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF cis-POLYISOPRENE AND ITS SINGLET OXYGEN ADDUCT

Abstract— Reaction of singlet oxygen (¹Δ_g, ¹O₂) with cis -polyisoprene yields an allylic hydroperoxide with an olefinic double bond shifted in the polymer chain. The photochemical decomposition of the resultant hydro-peroxide and the subsequent polymer chain scission kinetics have been studied in the absence of oxygen. Quantum yields of hydroperoxide decomposition range from 3.1 to 8.4 in cyclohexane, depending on the initial amount of hydroperoxide in the polymer. On the other hand, the quantum yields for polymer chain scission are low, and vary with the frequency of the incident light. The ratio for number of polymer scissions per number of hydroperoxy groups decomposed is of the order of 10^-2. The polymer chain degradation is sensitized by the addition of ketones. Based on these data, a reaction mechanism for the overall photodegradation of the cis -polyisoprene initiated by singlet oxygen is proposed.     

Rheological aspects in degradation and stabilization of poly(vinyl chloride)

Viscoelastic properties of PVC depend on temperature because of the existence of a physical temporary network. The main consequence of gel state within the range of usual processing temperatures is a heterogeneous dispersion of stabilizers. PVC is most sensitive to the dehydrochlorination in the state of the intermediate flow between particulate and molecular flow because of radicals arised from polymer chain scission caused by shear stress.     

Polymer morphology and random chain scission of nylon 66

Nylon 66 films with varying spherulite size but almost constant percentages of crystallinity were prepared (melt method). These films were degraded by NO₂ over a range of temperatures from 35 to 65°C. Random chain scission took place except in the initial stages at low temperatures at which some crosslinking occurred. Observation of the films with the extent of degradation under polarized light revealed that dark bands developed around and also inside spherulite boundaries that became wider with the extent of degradation. This indicates that amorphous material is formed during random chain scission; the spherulites remained practically intact, however. The experimental chain scission rate constants did not change essentially with spherulite diameter until small diameters were reached, at which time the rate constants increased noticeably. Degradation can be accounted for by chain scission in amorphous and interfacial regions; in the latter the rate constants increased with this area and in addition main chain links were weaker in fold regions, due to strain energy, than normal ones in amorphous regions. The energy of activation for chain scission was compatible with a predominantly diffusion-controlled process.     

The Photolysis of Polyvinylpyrrolidone in Aqueous Solutions in the Presence of Oxygen and Cupric Ions

Abstract

The oxidative photolysis of polyvinylpyrrolidone with light of λ = 2537 Å has been studied over a range of oxygen pressures and polymer concentrations. The results show that chain scission and cross linking take place simultaneously. In the range where cross linking is a negligible component, a mechanism based on chain scission due to components which lead to chain scission without intervention of oxygen, and a component which leads to chain scission via hydroperoxide side groups, has been proposed. This mechanism accounts satisfactorily for all observed features of the reaction. The degree of degradation at any one time decreases with oxygen pressure. Cupric ions, with or without oxygen present, have very little influence on the degradation process. However, the UV spectra of PVP in the presence of cupric ions are different from those without them.     

Gel permeation chromatography studies of chain scission and cross-linking during photo-oxidation of atactic polystyrene below and at tg

Photo-oxidative degradation of polystyrene in the form of film 20 μm thick was carried out in air using u.v. light of 254 nm at room temperature and at temperatures up to T_g. GPC was used to study changes of molecular weight distribution during the process. The GPC results were analysed using equations for an initially most probable distribution and non-uniform energy dissipation; the quantum yield values of chain scission and cross-linking of polystyrene during degradation were calculated. Initially, degradation progressed at high rate, connected with consumption of oxygen dissolved in the film. The slower subsequent degradation was connected with consumption of oxygen supplied during the reaction. An appreciable increase in the quantum yields for chain scission and cross-linking was observed just below and at T_g for the initial stage of photo-oxidative degradation. This increase of the quantum yield of photodegradation was caused by increased mobility of oxygen molecules in the film, connected with movement of polymer chain elements.     

Thermal degradation of copolymers of methyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate. II. Chain scission and the mechanism of the reaction

It has been established that one molecule of carbon dioxide is produced for each chain scission during degradation of methyl methacrylate–methyl acrylate copolymers with molar compositions in the ratios 112/1, 26/1, 7.7/1, and 2/1. Thus the relatively simple measurement of the production of carbon dioxide can be used to determine the extent of chain scission. In this way the relationships between chain scission and volatilization, zip length, copolymer composition, and the production of permanent gases have been established. The rate of chain scission is proportional to a power of the methyl acrylate content of the copolymer less than 0.5, from which it has been concluded that a significant proportion of the initial production of radicals and the subsequent attack of these radicals on the polymer chains is at random and not specifically associated with the methyl acrylate units. A mechanism for the overall thermal degradation process in this copolymer system is presented in the light of these observations.     

Degradation of polycaprolactone in supercritical fluids

The degradation of polycaprolactone (PCL) was studied in subcritical and supercritical toluene from 250 to 375 °C at 50 bar. The degradation was also investigated in various solvents like ethylbenzene, o-xylene and benzene at 325 °C and 50 bar. The effect of pressure on degradation was also evaluated at 325 °C at various pressures (35, 50 and 80 bar). The variation of molecular weight with time was analyzed using gel permeation chromatography and modeled using continuous distribution kinetics to evaluate the degradation rate coefficients. PCL degrades by random chain scission in subcritical conditions (250-300 °C) and by chain end scission (325-375 °C) in supercritical conditions in toluene. The degradation of PCL in other solvents at 325 °C was by chain end scission under both subcritical and supercritical conditions indicating that the mode of scission depends on the temperature and not on the supercriticality of the solvent. The thermogravimetric analysis of PCL was investigated at various heating rates (2-24 °C/min) and the activation energy was determined using Friedman, Ozawa and Kissinger methods. It was shown that PCL degrades by random scission at lower temperatures and by chain end scission at higher temperatures again indicating that the mode of scission is dependent on the temperature.     

Thermal degradation of keto polymers: Part 1—Poly(vinylacetophenone)

The thermal degradation of poly(vinylacetophenone) (PVAP) was studied at 380°C under high vacuum. The degradation products were separated into gaseous and liquid fractions and identified (gc, nmr, ms). The principal reactions are removal and decomposition of acetyl groups, depolymerization and random chain scission, as evidenced by the pattern of number average molecular weight changes. While the basic mechanism of degradation resembles that of poly(styrene) (PS), i.e. initial random chain scission, the number of transfer reactions is considerably greater due to the presence of methyl radicals which abstract from C-atoms in the polymer chain. The resulting chain radicals undergo β-scission (the principal mode of chain scission) to yield a terminally unsaturated molecule and a macro radical. These two species further decompose to give oligomeric products and monomer. The relative abundance of oligomers to monomer is considerably greater than that observed for PS. This has been attributed to shorter zip lengths for depolymerization and to the occurrence of more transfer reactions in PVAP. Plausible mechanisms for the formation of the various reaction products are given.     

Thermal degradation of polystyrene

Molecular weight change studies have shown that the thermal degradation of random copolymers of styrene — namely HIPS, SAN, and ABS-at low temperatures and in air involves random chain scission. The dominant process in the degradation of HIPS is random chain scission due to weak links, whereas in SAN it is intermolecular chain transfer. In ABS, the degradation is initially random scission due to weak links and then mainly intermolecular chain transfer. The infrared spectra show that during degradation the labile weak links are attacked by oxygen and peroxidic free radicals are produced. Via hydrogen abstraction or autoxidation of olefinic links, these free radicals are responsible for the formation of aliphatic ketonic or peroxyester structures, and for isomerization and cyclization. The activation energies of overall degradation of HIPS, SAN, and ABS are 134, 142, and 92 kJ.mol^–1 respectively.Part of the PhD dissertation of Mrs. Jaya Nambiar, University of Gorakhpur, Gorakhpur-273001, 1980.     

FT-RAMAN SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF THE FORMATION OF POLYENES DURING THERMAL DEGRADATION OF POLY(VINYL CHLORIDE) AND POLY (N-VINYL-2-PYRROLIDONE) BLENDS

In situ degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)/poly (N-vinyl-2- pyrrolidone) (PVC/PVP) blends has been studied by Fourier-transform Raman spectroscopy. PVP acts as a destabilizer in the thermal degradation of PVC as manifested by the reduction of temperature for the onset of degradation and the time the polymer is held at a particular temperature for this onset. Increasing the amount of PVP in the blends decreases the dehydrochlorination temperature and time. In blends containing high PVP concentrations, polyene bands dominate over nondegraded PVC bands. Maximum polyene lengths of around 35 were achieved. High PVP ratios and prolonged degradation at higher temperatures resulted in a decrease in mean polyene length due to crosslinking and oxidative scission.     

Structure and stability of halogenated polymers: Part 2—Chain-chlorinated polystyrene

Chain-chlorinated polystyrene samples have been prepared and characterised, containing from 2·5 to 34·3% chlorine by weight (from 0·1 to 1·3 chlorine atoms per styrene unit). Chlorination has been found to involve mainly substitution of the tertiary hydrogen atoms, followed by methylene substitution at reactant concentrations of more than 1 mole Cl₂ per styrene unit. Reaction with chlorine is quantitative in CCl₄ in the absence of air and the amount of ring-chlorination as a side reaction is very small.Chlorination in the backbone destabilises the polymer, which first loses hydrogen chloride on heating. The double bonds formed provide points of weakness for chain scission, which occurs at lower temperatures than for PS. Under programmed heating, the dehydrochlorination and chain scission reactions overlap to some extent in temperature range, but highly conjugated partially degraded polymer can be made from extensively chain-chlorinated PS. At more than 1 Cl per styrene unit, HCl is almost the sole volatile product, although the conjugated polymer breaks up to chain fragments above 300°C.     

Degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) by U.V. radiation—I. Kinetics and quantum yields

The kinetics of the photodegradation of films of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) has been studied both in the presence and in the absence of oxygen. The value of the quantum yield of hydrogen chloride evolved, φ_HCl = 0.011, indicates that only one in every 100 photons absorbed induces the dehydrochlorination of PVC, with formation of polyenes. The independence of φ_HCl on the irradiation time and on the initial amount of unsaturation in the polymer argues in favour of an alkene-photosensitized degradation process. The low rate of degradation observed when Pyrex-filtered light is used results primarily from both low absorbance of the PVC film in the 300–400 nm region and photobleaching of the polyenes by the hydrogen chloride evolved. The decrease of φ_HCl for extended irradiation times is attributed to the formation of a highly absorbing surface layer consisting of totally degraded PVC. Competitive chain scission and crosslinking processes develop in the PVC film photolyzed either in nitrogen or in oxygen, with a limiting value of 0.5 for the gel fraction.     

Hydrolytic degradation of poly(rac‐lactide) and poly[(rac‐lactide)‐co‐glycolide] at the air–water interface

The understanding of the simultaneous transport and chain‐scission phenomena involved in the hydrolysis of bulk‐degrading polymers requires the experimental separation of chain cleavage and water diffusion. The hydrolytic chain cleavage of poly(rac‐lactide) rac‐(PLA) and poly[(rac‐lactide)‐co‐glycolide] (PLGA) is analysed on the basis of monolayer degradation experiments combined with an improved data reduction procedure. Different, partly contradictory models of the hydrolytic degradation and erosion mechanism of PLA and PLGA, namely random chain scission and chain‐end scission, are discussed in the literature. The instantaneous linear area reduction observed for the polymer Langmuir films indicates a chain‐end scission mechanism. As monolayers of end‐capped and non‐end‐capped polymers degrade with exactly the same rate, the observed differences in the degradation kinetics of bulk samples do clearly result from differences in the water penetration into these polymers. A pronounced ‘auto‐inhibition’ effect is observed for the polymers degraded at initially high pH of the aqueous subphase in the absence of buffers. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Studies of thermooxidative degradation process of chlorinated natural rubber from latex

The thermooxidative degradation of chlorinated natural rubber (CNR) from latex were studied by thermogravimetry (TG) coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and difference FTIR. The CNR degraded in air atmosphere with two distinct steps of weight loss. The first step ranging from 160 to 390 °C, mainly is a dehydrochlorination reaction with a little oxidative scission of molecular backbones to release carbon dioxide and the conjugated polyene sequences (---[C=C]---)_n=3,4 are formed on the molecules of CNR. The second step ranging from 390 to 585 °C, is an oxidative degradation reaction of the molecular backbones of CNR and the evolved gas is only carbon dioxide.     

The thermal degradation of polychloroprene-III degradation of polychloroprene/poly(methyl methacrylate) mixtures

The mechanism of dehydrochlorination has been studied by examining the degradation of polychloroprene/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends, using thermal volatilization analysis and infrared spectroscopy; the behaviour has been compared with that previously found for PVC/PMMA blends. Unlike the latter system, the polychloroprene blends did not show any increased production of methyl methacrylate monomer in the early stages of breakdown. The stabilization effect on PMMA due to reaction of ester groups with hydrogen chloride, on the other hand, is much more evident in the case of polychloroprene blends than for PVC, PVC dehydrochlorination is retarded by the presence of PMMA, but evolution of hydrogen chloride from polychloroprene is unaffected to any significant extent. It is concluded that the dehydrochlorination of polychloroprene is not a radical chain process. A unimolecular mechanism is suggested.