Polypropylene stabilization by hindered phenols - Kinetic aspects

This article deals with polypropylene stabilization by hindered 2,6-di-tert-butylphenols. Two aspects are mainly considered: the influence of stabilizer structure, of its concentration and temperature on induction period duration through a literature compilation completed by results obtained on PP samples stabilized by Irganox 1010 in conditions in which physical loss was negligible. Results show that the induction period duration is almost proportional to the phenol concentration and that the proportionality ratio is almost independent of the stabilizer structure in the investigated phenol family. A unique set of kinetic parameters can be therefore used to model the kinetic behaviour of all the family members. The kinetic approach can be more or less complex depending on the number of secondary processes taken into account. The results of simulations indicate that a two steps process allows generation of a kinetic behaviour in good agreement with experimental trends regarding effects of both stabilizer concentration and temperature on induction time.     

Kinetic modelling of stabilization coupled with stabilizer loss by evaporation. Case of dithioester stabilized polyethylene

The thermal oxidation of medium density polyethylene (PE) films stabilized by various weight ratios of DiLaurylThioPropionate (DLTP) or DiStearylThioPropionate (DSTP) has been studied in air at 110 and 120 °C. DSC was used for the measurement of an induction time at 190 °C (directly linked to the concentration of residual stabilizing species) and FTIR spectrophotometry for the measurement of the total concentration of ester groups originating from unreacted and reacted stabilizer molecules. The growth in PE carbonyl groups is also recorded and the induction periods at the exposure temperatures are determined. The results show that the physical loss of these hydroperoxide decomposers cannot be neglected, and also imply that simple evaporation-reaction models are inadequate to predict the kinetic behaviour of these systems. A new model is tentatively proposed. It assumes the coexistence of two stabilizer phases: the insoluble (dispersed) phase as the stabilizer excess relatively to the solubility threshold, and the soluble phase from which evaporative loss and the chemical stabilization can occur. Both phases are in equilibrium where the insoluble phase acts as a reservoir for the soluble one.     

Thermooxidative aging of crosslinked linear polyethylene: Stabilizer consumption and lifetime prediction

The thermooxidative aging of extruded ribbons of linear polyethylene cross-linked by irradiation was studied in the temperature interval 110–180°C. The end of the induction period was detected by various methods, including a UV spectrophotometric determination of phenolic antioxidant made on microtomed sections in order to establish its distribution into the sample thickness, and other previously reported methods (density, ultimate tensile properties, carbonyl index, color change and weight loss). The kinetic curves of phenol depletion display the earliest rate change associated with the end of the induction period. The other properties begin to vary after a delay, in the following order:

Ultimate elongation < density < color change and carbonyl groups < weight loss.

A mechanistic interpretation of this delay is proposed. Its duration can be considered negligible at temperatures higher than the melting point, but it can induce noticeable errors of lifetime prediction for exposures at lower temperatures. The Arrhenius plots of lifetime display a discontinuity at the melting point. This is tentatively interpreted in terms of stabilizer concentration changes in the amorphous phase, but the process is complicated by the occurrence of an exudation process occurring in the solid state and responsible for loss of about 50% of the initial stabilizer.     

Thermal oxidation of clay-nanoreinforced polypropylene

The thermo-oxidation process at low temperatures for a montmorillonite-nanoreinforced polypropylene (PP) was studied. Experimental aging kinetic data at 100, 80 and 60 °C have been obtained and compared with a computational simulation in which a kinetic model based on the closed loop approach was used. As a result, it has been found that the montmorillonite role is not limited to a role of inert filler in the polymer matrix but induces a slight catalytic effect leading to induction period reduction. This effect has been well simulated by increasing initial hydroperoxyde concentration. The consequences of kinetic control by oxygen diffusion have also been investigated by using micro ATR-FTIR mapping to assess concentration profiles of the oxidation products across the sample thickness. It has been found that the oxidized layer thickness is close to 17 μm for the pure polypropylene whereas it is around 10 μm for the nanocomposite at 100 °C. These profile variations have been attributed to differences in oxygen diffusion coefficient values. Simulations based on the kinetic model including diffusion-reaction coupling describe these profiles well.     

Polyethylene stabilization against thermal oxidation by a trimethylquinoleine oligomer

The thermal oxidation at 110 and 120 °C of polyethylene (PE) films stabilized by 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5% of a trimethylquinoleine (TMQ) oligomer has been studied by IR spectroscopy (carbonyl build-up) and by DSC (measurement of the oxidation induction time at 200 °C). The induction period increases almost proportionally to the TMQ concentration and the TMQ efficiency (as estimated by the ratio t_ind/[TMQ]₀) increases when lowering the temperature. Some features of stabilizer consumption kinetics and the dependence of maximum oxidation rate with initial stabilizer concentration were compared to experimental results obtained for stabilization by hindered phenols (Irganox 1010) and to literature data for sacrificial (e.g. hindered phenols) and regenerative (Hindered Amine Stabilizers) antioxidants. These comparisons led to classify TMQ in the category of Hindered Amine Stabilizers (HAS), which was confirmed by a kinetic analysis. Only the scheme taking into account the specific features of HAS (role of NO radicals, regeneration from alkoxyamines) was able to correctly simulate the oxidation behaviour of TMQ stabilized PE.     

Polymerization of hex-1-ene initiated by diimine complexes of nickel and palladium

The effect of monomer concentration, reaction temperature and initiator structure on the activity, molar mass, branching and thermal properties of poly(hex-1-ene)s was investigated for the polymerization of hex-1-ene initiated by four α-diimine complexes of nickel and palladium. Hex-1-ene polymerization exhibits an apparent negative kinetic order with respect to monomer concentration. Polymerization of hex-1-ene initiated by MAO activated 1,4-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)acenaphtenediiminenickel(II) dibromide (1a/MAO) proceeds in living-like fashion not only at sub-zero temperatures but even at 20 °C. However, molar masses of the polymers are higher than predicted values in agreement with an initiator efficiency lower than one.     

A closed form solution for the vulcanization prediction of NR cured with sulphur and different accelerators

The paper presents a novel efficient closed form approach to determine the degree of vulcanization of natural rubber (NR) vulcanized with sulphur in presence of different accelerators. The general reaction scheme proposed by Han and co-workers for vulcanized sulphur NR is re-adapted and suitably modified taking into account the single contributions of the different accelerators, focusing in particular on some experimental data, where NR was vulcanized at different temperatures (from 150 to \(180\, ^{\circ }\hbox {C}\)) and concentrations of sulphur, using TBBS and DPG in the mixture as co-agents at variable concentrations. In the model, chain reactions initiated by the formation of macro-compounds responsible for the formation of the unmatured crosslinked polymer are accounted for. It is assumed that such reactions depend on the reciprocal concentrations of all components and their chemical nature. In presence of two accelerators, reactions are assumed to proceed in parallel, making the assumption that there is no interaction between the two accelerators. Despite there is experimental evidence that a weak process by which each accelerator affects the other, the reaction chemistry is still not well understood and therefore its effect cannot be translated into any mathematical model. In any case, even disregarding such interaction, good approximations of the rheometer curves are obtained. From the simplified kinetic scheme adopted, a closed form solution is found for the crosslink density, with the only limitation that the induction period is excluded from computations. The main capability of the model stands however in the closed form determination of kinetic constants representing the velocities of single reactions in the kinetic scheme adopted, which allows avoiding a numerically demanding least-squares best fitting on rheometer experimental data. Two series of experiments available, relying into rheometer curves at different temperatures and different concentrations of sulphur and accelerators, are utilized to evaluate the fitting capabilities of the mathematical model. Very good agreement between numerical output and experimental data is experienced in all cases analyzed.     

Kinetics of solution polymerisation of trioxane—I. Polymerisation during induction period

A study has been made of the solution polymerisation of trioxane in 1,2-dichloroethane with boron trifluoride diethyl etherate as the initiator during the induction period. The experimental parameters varied were initiator concentration, initial trioxane concentration and temperature. The rates of trioxane consumption, tetroxane production and formaldehyde production and the rate of increase in the amount of soluble linear oligomers increased with increase in the initial concentrations of initiator and trioxane and with increase in temperature. The results also indicate an equilibrium between formaldehyde and cationic species. A kinetic model is proposed for polymerisation of trioxane during the induction period. The model proposes three parallel irreversible reactions between trioxane and cationic species and a reversible reaction between formaldehyde and cationic species. The scheme involves five rate constants which are determined from statistical fit of experimental data. The predictions of concentration-time profiles for various species are in excellent agreement with the experimental results.     

Kinetic studies on the thermal decomposition of phosphate-doped sodium oxalate

The thermal decomposition kinetics of sodium oxalate (Na₂C₂O₄) has been studied as a function of concentration of dopant, phosphate, at five different temperatures in the range 783–803 K under isothermal conditions by thermogravimetry (TG). The TG data were subjected to both model-fitting and model-free kinetic methods of analysis. The model-fitting analysis of the TG data of all the samples shows that no single kinetic model describes the whole α versus t curve with a single rate constant throughout the decomposition reaction. Separate kinetic analysis shows that Prout–Tompkins model best describes the acceleratory stage of the decomposition, while the decay region is best fitted with the contracting cylinder model. Activation energy values were evaluated by both model-fitting and model-free kinetic methods. The observed results favour a diffusion-controlled mechanism for the thermal decomposition of sodium oxalate.     

Effect of activated carbon black nanoparticles on solid state polymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Solid state polycondensation (SSP) is a conventional method used to increase the molecular weight of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in order to become more suitable for applications as carbonated soft drink bottles, etc. In the present study, the effect of activated carbon black (ACB) nanoparticles, on the SSP kinetics is examined. TEM micrographs revealed that ACB was finely dispersed into PET matrix as individual nanoparticles without creating agglomerates. Intrinsic viscosity (IV) measurements revealed that at temperatures 210 and 220 °C the activated carbon black does not influence the IV increase. However, at 230 and 240 °C an accelerating effect was found and higher intrinsic viscosity values were measured, compared to neat PET. Furthermore, a simple kinetic model was employed to predict the time evolution of IV, as well as the carboxyl and hydroxyl content during SSP. The kinetic parameters of the transesterification and esterification reactions were estimated at different temperatures with or without the addition of ACB. From the experimental measurements and the theoretical simulation results it was proved that ACB enhances the esterification reaction at all studied temperatures acting as a co-catalyst. However, the transesterification reaction remains unaffected by the presence of ACB at elevated temperatures (230 or 240 °C), while it is reduced at lower values (210 and 220 °C). Finally, the activation energies of both transesterification and esterification were determined together with the concentration of inactive end-groups.     

Measurement of oxidation stability of polyolefins by thermal analysis

Isothermal differential thermal analysis has been used to study the thermal stability of polybutene and crosslinked polyethylene in the temperature range from 120°C to 240°C. Oxidation induction times were measured from 2 min up to 7250 h. The Arrhenius-plots of DTA results showed curvature at 150°C, so straight line extrapolations from short-term experiments at elevated temperatures to low temperatures and long times are not possible. Oxidation induction time and mechanical failure in oven ageing experiments coincided over the measured temperature range. Decrease in the molecular weight of polybutene accelerated after the end of the induction period.Thermoanalytically measurable residual thermal stability decreased linearly with ageing time and is a more sensitive indicator of the beginning of thermal degradation than measurement of tensile properties. Finally, the extraction of stabilizer by hot water was measured by isothermal DTA.     

Kinetic studies of photopolymerization using real time FT-IR spectroscopy

The real time FT-IR (RT/FT-IR) technique has been recognized as a very vital tool to quantitatively study the curing parameters such as the effects of initiator (or catalyst) type and concentration, accelerator, stabilizer, irradiation wavelength, temperature, and curing environments. Herein, our results in studies of photoinduced polymerizations for adhesive and coating applications are reported. The photoinduced polymerizations studied included anionic and hydrosilation (a polyaddition polymerization) reactions. In photoinduced anionic polymerization our studies for ethyl cyanoacrylate polymerization are described. The effect of the concentration of photoinitiator and inhibitor on the ethyl cyanoacrylate polymerization kinetic rate will be discussed. In photoinduced catalytic hydrosilation reaction studies, the effects of the catalyst concentration and staging irradiation are disclosed. The hydrosilation reaction was monitored using a Si? H silicone hydride stretching band located at 2169 cm^?1. The cyanoacrylate polymerization was monitored using the C?C stretching band occurring at 1617 cm^?1. The hydrosilation conversion was completed with an appropriate formulation. For monofunctional cyanoacrylate monomer, the photoinduced conversion to straight chain polymer was approximately 85% for a 60 s period. The intrinsic rates of the reactions were calculated for kinetic comparisons. For very fast cyanoacrylate polymerization studies, new FT-IR kinetic software was used to collect 204 spectra/min. Some detailed experimental techniques and polymerization reaction mechanisms are also discussed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Drug nanoparticles by antisolvent precipitation: mixing energy versus surfactant stabilization

Organic itraconazole (ITZ) solutions were mixed with aqueous solutions to precipitate sub-300 nm particles over a wide range of energy dissipation rates, even for drug loadings as high as 86% (ITZ weight/total weight). The small particle sizes were produced with the stabilizer poloxamer 407, which lowered the interfacial tension, increasing the nucleation rate while inhibiting growth by coagulation and condensation. The highest nucleation rates and slowest growth rates were found at temperatures below 20 degrees C and increased with surfactant concentration and Reynolds number (Re). This increase in the time scale for growth reduced the Damkohler number (Da) (mixing time/precipitation time) to low values even for modest mixing energies. As the stabilizer concentration increased, the average particle size decreased and reached a threshold where Da may be considered to be unity. Da was maintained at a low value by compensating for a change in one variable away from optimum conditions (for small particles) by manipulating another variable. This tradeoff in compensation variables was demonstrated for organic flow rate vs Re, Re vs stabilizer concentration, stabilizer feed location (organic phase vs aqueous phase) vs stabilizer concentration, and stabilizer feed location vs Re. A decrease in the nucleation rate with particle density in the aqueous suspension indicated that secondary nucleation was minimal. A fundamental understanding of particle size control in antisolvent precipitation is beneficial for designing mixing systems and surfactant stabilizers for forming nanoparticles of poorly water soluble drugs with the potential for high dissolution rates.     

Thermal analysis of Moroccan phosphates 'Youssoufia' in an oxidative atmosphere by TG and DSC

A non-isothermal experimental study using thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was conducted for investigation the oxidation reactivity of natural phosphate and its demineralised products. The analyses were carried out in oxygen atmosphere and at different heating rate (5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 60°C min-1) up to 1000°C. The results indicated that the material washed with HCl from the original phosphate, mainly apatite and carbonates of calcium and magnesium, as well as with HCl/HF, silicates minreals, had an inhibition effect during oxidation reactions of organic material. The increase of the heating rate shifted the reactions to higher temperatures. In addition, kinetic parameters were determined by assuming a single first-order kinetic model, using the Coats-Redfern method. The influences of demineralization process of natural phosphate and the heating rate were examined and discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetic modelling of the thermal oxidation of polyisoprene elastomers. Part 3: Oxidation induced changes of elastic properties

This paper is the third of a series elaborating a non-empirical kinetic model for the thermal oxidation of a sulfur vulcanized polyisoprene. Here, we try to identify kinetic parameters for post-crosslinking and reversion (“decrosslinking”) from torsion measurements, under nitrogen at temperatures ranging from 100 to 160 °C. The kinetic parameters relative to oxidative reversion (selective scissions on sulfur crosslinks) are also determined. Then a system of 13 differential equations is derived from the mechanistic scheme composed of 15 elementary reactions. Diffusion and reactions are coupled in the balance equation of oxygen in order to establish the degradation thickness profiles from which it is possible to determine the modulus profiles. The latter are used, through a composite mechanics model, to predict the global torsion stiffness of a rubber barrel. The results obtained at 100, 110, 130, 140, 150 and 160 °C are in good agreement with experimental data.     

Thermoanalytical Study of O,O'-dibenzoyl-(2R, 3R)-Tartaric Acid SMC

A non-isothermal experimental study using thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was conducted for investigation the oxidation reactivity of natural phosphate and its demineralised products. The analyses were carried out in oxygen atmosphere and at different heating rate (5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 60°C min^-1) up to 1000°C. The results indicated that the material washed with HCl from the original phosphate, mainly apatite and carbonates of calcium and magnesium, as well as with HCl/HF, silicates minreals, had an inhibition effect during oxidation reactions of organic material. The increase of the heating rate shifted the reactions to higher temperatures. In addition, kinetic parameters were determined by assuming a single first-order kinetic model, using the Coats-Redfern method. The influences of demineralization process of natural phosphate and the heating rate were examined and discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interactions of stabilizers during oxidation processes

The antioxidative action of mixtures of phenols, phosphites, HALS, ^a) and some of their transformation products in various compositions has been studied in the thermo- and photo-oxidation of hydrocarbons and polypropylene under different conditions. In the AIBN-initiated oxidation of hydrocarbons at low temperatures (< 80°C), hindered phenols, hindered aryl phosphites and the nitroxyl derivatives of HALS act antioxidatively when used individually in appropriate concentrations. Secondary HALS do not show any induction period, but a certain retardation of the oxidation process after some reaction time. The inhibiting efficiency of nitroxyls observed cannot be explained completely by the currently accepted action mechanisms of HALS, but is also related to the reaction of the nitroxyls with alkylperoxyl radicals. In mixtures with hindered phenols, HALS have almost no influence on the rate of thermooxidation at low temperatures. Their nitroxyl derivatives, however, always exhibit synergism, most pronounced when both stabilizers are used in equimolar ratios. During the photooxidation phenols lower the efficiency of HALS. The influence of mixtures of stabilizers on the oxidative stability of polypropylene is rather different and depends on the oxidation conditions, the structure, the concentration and the ratio of the stabilizers. Synergistic as well as antagonistic effects are observed. Both aliphatic and aromatic phosphites studied act synergistically when used together and with phenols. This demonstrates that for acting as synergist for phenols, the hydrogen peroxide decomposing capability of the phosphites, but not their chain breaking activity is important. HALS-phosphites and phosphonites, containing amine and phosphorus units in one molecule, are highly effective inhibitors of photo- and thermooxidation and exhibit lower critical antioxidant concentrations and longer induction periods than phosphites alone. They even exceed the efficiency of phenols in many cases. Transformation products of phenolic antioxidants investigated act differently and in many cases contrarily under photo- and thermooxidative conditions. Therefore, they influence the efficiency of stabilizer mixtures also in a different way.     

Modeling of Ethylene Polymerization Kinetics over Supported Chromium Oxide Catalysts

Summary: Silica supported chromium oxide catalysts have been used for many years to manufacture polyethylene and they still account for more than 50% of world production of high‐density polyethylene. Along with its commercial success, the catalytic mechanism and polymerization kinetics of silica supported chromium oxide catalysts have been the subject of intense research. However, there is a lack of modeling effort for the quantitative prediction of polymerization rate and polymer molecular weight properties. The chromium oxide catalyzed ethylene polymerization is often characterized by the presence of an induction period followed by a steady increase in polymerization rate. The molecular weight distribution is also quite broad. In this paper, a two‐site kinetic model is developed for the modeling of ethylene polymerization over supported chromium oxide catalyst. To model the induction period, it is proposed that divalent chromium sites are deactivated by catalyst poison and the reactivation of the deactivated chromium sites is slow and rate controlling. To model the molecular weight distribution broadening, each active chromium site is assumed to have different monomer chain transfer ability. The experimental data of semibatch liquid slurry polymerization of ethylene is compared with the model simulations and a quite satisfactory agreement has been obtained for the polymerization conditions employed.

Polymerization rates at different reaction temperatures: symbols – data, lines – model simulations.     

Scale-up of batch kinetic models

The scale-up of batch kinetic models was studied by examining the kinetic fitting results of batch esterification reactions completed in 75 mL and 5 L reactors. Different temperatures, amounts of catalysts, and amounts of initial starting reagents were used to completely characterize the reaction. A custom written Matlab toolbox called GUIPRO was used to fit first-principles kinetic models directly to in-line NIR and Raman spectroscopic data. Second-order kinetic models provided calibration-free estimates of kinetic and thermodynamic reaction parameters, time dependent concentration profiles, and pure component spectra of reagents and product. The estimated kinetic and thermodynamic parameters showed good agreement between small-scale and large-scale reactions. The accuracy of pure component spectra estimates was validated by comparison to collected NIR and Raman pure component spectra. The model estimated product concentrations were also validated by comparison to concentrations measured by off-line GC analysis. Based on the good agreement between kinetic and thermodynamic parameters and comparison between actual and estimated concentration and spectral profiles, it was concluded that the scale-up of batch kinetic models was successful.     

Kinetics of Calcium Oxalate Reduction in Taro (Colocasia Esculenta) Corm Chips during Treatments Using Baking Soda Solution

The oxalates content has caused limited utilizations of taro (Colocasia esculenta) as a food material. The insoluble oxalates, especially needle like calcium oxalate crystal may cause irritation, and swelling of mouth and throat. Removal of oxalates in food can be done by physical processes, such as soaking, boiling, and cooking or chemical process by converting them into soluble phases. The purpose of this research were to investigate the effects of baking soda concentration (0-10% w/w) and temperatures (70-97 °C) on the reduction of calcium oxalate content in the taro corm chips and to develop a kinetic model of that process during boiling in baking soda solution. The kinetic model development was done by considering the dissolution of calcium oxalate, chemical reaction and thermal degradation that take place during boiling. The experimental results showed that increasing of baking soda concentration and temperatures were found to increase the reduction of calcium oxalate in the taro corm chips. Based on the product's functional properties, the best condition for calcium oxalate reduction was soaking in 10% w/w baking soda solution for 2 hours followed by boiling at 90 °C for 60 minutes. The kinetic modeling concluded that the calcium oxalate reduction was found to follow a pseudo first order reaction. The modeling results showed that the model is able to represent the phenomena quite well with the apparent reduction rate constant, k = 15.77 Exp (21.239)/RT minute^-1.