Performance of pyrophyllite and halloysite clays in the catalytic degradation of polystyrene

Summary The performance of pyrophyllite and halloysite clays in the degradation of polystyrene (PS) was investigated. The degradation was carried out in a semi-batch reactor with a mixture of polystyrene and catalysts at 400-450^oC. The catalysts showed good catalytic activity for the degradation of PS with high selectivity to aromatics liquids. Styrene is the major product, and ethylbenzene is the second most abundant one in the liquid product. The catalytic degradation showed much less production of styrene dimers and higher selectivity to ethylbenzene than the thermal degradation did. High degradation temperature favored the production of styrene monomer, but it decreased the ethylbenzene production.     

Calytic Degradation of Mixed Plastics Using Natural Clinoptilolite Catalyst

Catalytic degradation of the mixture of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) was investigated in a semi-batch reactor. The main degradation product was liquid oil with gasoline range carbon number distributions. Clinoptilolite a natural zeolite (HNZ) showed as good a catalytic performance as silica-alumina (SA). The protonated catalysts (HNZ, HZSM-5) showed an increased production of ethylbenzene, but a decrease of styrene production. Increase of degradation temperature resulted in a decrease of ethylbenzene and propylbenzene, but an increase of styrene. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the increased degradation rate in the mixed plastics came from the intermolecular carbenium ion transfer between the degraded fragments of PE, PP, and PS.This revised version was published online in December 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

聚苯乙烯热降解机理的理论研究

采用密度泛函理论B3LYP/6-311G（d）方法,对聚苯乙烯（PS）热降解反应机理进行了研究。PS热降解的主要产物是苯乙烯,其次是甲苯、α-甲基苯乙烯、乙苯和二聚体等芳烃化合物。PS热降解反应主要包括主链C-C键均裂、β-断裂、氢转移和自由基终止等反应。针对以上各类反应进行了路径设计和理论计算分析,对参与反应的分子的几何结构进行了优化和频率计算,获得了各热降解路径的标准动力学和热力学参数。计算结果表明,苯乙烯主要由自由基的链端β-断裂反应形成;二聚体主要由分子内1,3氢转移的反应形成;α-甲基苯乙烯由分子内的1,2氢转移后进行β-断裂形成;甲苯由苯甲基自由基夺取主链上的氢原子形成;乙苯由苯乙基自由基夺取氢原子形成。动力学分析表明,苯乙烯形成所需要的能垒低于其他产物形成所需要的能垒,故苯乙烯为主要的热降解产物;这与相关实验结果基本一致。     

Polymer-clay nanocomposites: chemical grafting of polystyrene onto Cloisite 20A

An account of the experiments on preparing polystyrene(PS) nanocomposites through grafting the polymer onto organophilic montmorillonite is reported.Cloisite 20A was reacted with vinyltrichlorosilane to replace the edge hydroxyl groups of the clay with a vinyl moiety.Because the reaction may liberate HC1,it was performed in the presence of sodium hydrogencarbonate to prevent the exchange of quaternary alkylammonium cations with H~+ ions.Only the silanol groups on the edge of the clay react with vinyltrichlorosilane.The radical polymerization of the product with styrene as a vinyl monomer leads to chemical grafting of PS onto the montmorillonite surface.The homopolymer formed during polymerization was separated from the grafted organoclay by Soxhlet extraction.Chemical grafting of the polymer onto Cloisite 20A was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy.The prepared nanocomposite materials and the grafted nano-particles were studied by XRD.Exfoliated nanocomposites may be obtained for 0.5 wt%-l wt%clay content.The nanocomposites were studied by thermogravimertic analysis(TGA) dynamic thermal analysis(DTA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA).     

Macromolecular surfactants for supercritical carbon dioxide applications: Synthesis and characterization of fluorinated block copolymers prepared by nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization

Poly(perfluorooctyl‐ethylenoxymethylstyrene) (PFDS) and poly(1,1,2,2‐tetrahydroperfluorodecyl acrylate) (PFDA) homopolymers as well as poly(styrene)‐b‐poly(perfluorooctyl‐ethylenoxymethylstyrene) (PS‐b‐PFDS) and poly(styrene)‐b‐poly(1,1,2,2‐tetrahydroperfluorodecyl acrylate) acrylate) (PS‐b‐PFDA) block copolymers of various chain lengths were synthesized by nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization in the presence of either 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy free radical (TEMPO) in the case of FDS monomer or N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐N‐oxyl (DEPN) in the case of the FDA monomer. The molar composition of the block copolymers was determined by elemental analysis and proton NMR while the blocky structure was checked by SEC analysis in trifluorotoluene. Block copolymers PS‐b‐PFDS (3.6K/60K) and PS‐b‐PFDA (3.7K/43K) were soluble in neat CO₂ at moderate pressure and temperature, indicating the formation of micelles. Similar block copolymers with a longer PS block such as PS‐b‐PFDA (9.5K/49K), corresponding to a lower CO₂‐philic/CO₂‐phobic balance, were insoluble in neat CO₂ but could be solubilized in the presence of styrene as a cosolvent. Additionally, surface and bulk properties of PS‐b‐PFDA were investigated, indicating the same surface tension as for the PFDA homopolymer (γ_LV = 10.3 mN/m) and a bulk nanostructured morphology. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3537–3552, 2004     

Synthesis and Rheology of Intercalated Polystyrene/Na+‐Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

Polystyrene (PS)/clay nanocomposites were synthesized by the emulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of sodium ion‐exchanged montmorillonite (Na⁺‐MMT), demonstrating that the strongly hydrophobic PS was intercalated into the hydrophilic silicate layers. The nanocomposites were examined by means of X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis. The rheological properties of the PS/Na⁺‐MMT nanocomposites were also studied to exhibit more pronounced shear thinning behavior with increasing clay content.     

In situ synthesis of polystyrene/nano-CdSe core/shell microspheres in aqueous solution at room temperature

Polystyrene/nano-CdSe (PS/CdSe) core/shell microspheres were synthesized via in situ soap-free emulsion polymerization using various functional monomers such as 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, 1-vinylimidazole, 2-vinylpridine, and 4-vinylpridine. They were co-polymerized with styrene monomer and provided the location for coordinating with Cd²⁺ ions on the PS particle surfaces. Then, we used an alkaline selenium solution as a selenium source. Reaction of the alkaline selenium solution with the previous emulsion produced nanocrystalline CdSe onto the surface of PS particles at room temperature under atmospheric pressure. The different kinds of functional monomers and the amount of both Cd²⁺ ion and functional monomer were playing important roles to obtain stable and uniform morphologies of CdSe particles. Morphological observations were carried out by both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Through the SEM and TEM microphotographs, we could confirm the formation of PS/nano-CdSe composite particles. Ultraviolet–visible absorption measurement indicated the quantum dot effect in the resulted PS/nano-CdSe core/shell microspheres.     

Quantum chemical analysis of mechanisms of phenylacetylene and styrene hydrogenation to ethylbenzene on the Pd{111} surface

The mechanisms of the hydrogenation of phenylacetylene and styrene to ethylbenzene on the Pd{111} surface, which are secondary reactions of the selective hydrogenation of phenylacetylene, were studied by the DFT-PBE method. The position of the Ph group of the styrene molecule with respect to the Pd surface is shown to exert a noticeable effect on the mechanism of the process. If the Ph group is adsorbed on the Pd surface, then the addition of the first H atom to the terminal C atom of the styrene molecule is most probable. If Ph does not contact the surface, then the most substituted C atom of the styrene molecule is first hydrogenated. On the whole, the interaction of the Ph group with the Pd{111} surface results in stable adsorption structures, the hydrogenation of which on the Pd{111} surface is strongly hindered. The Gibbs activation energy (ΔG^≠₂₉₈) is 22.9 and 27.1 kcal mol^–1 in the most probable reaction routes of styrene hydrogenation to ethylbenzene and direct hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to ethylbenzene, respectively.     

Investigation of thermal and catalytic degradation of polystyrene waste into styrene monomer over natural volcanic tuff and Florisil catalysts

Thermal and catalytic degradation of polystyrene waste over two different samples of natural volcanic tuff catalyst comparative with Florisil catalyst has been carried out in order to establish the conversion degree into styrene monomer. The polystyrene waste (PS) was subjected to a thermal degradation process in the range of 380–500°C in presence of studied catalysts in a ratio of 1/10 in mass, catalyst/PS. The catalysts were characterized by N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms (BET), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). Influences of temperature and type of catalysts on the yields and on the distribution of end-products obtained by thermal and catalytic degradation of polystyrene waste have been studied. The maximum yields of liquid products were obtained at 460°C degradation temperature and were calculated between 83.45% and 90.11%. The liquid products were characterized by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and FTIR analytical techniques. The GC-MS results showed that the liquid products contained styrene monomer up to 55.62%. The FTIR spectra of liquid products indicated the specific vibration bands of the functional groups of compounds of liquid products. The amounts of styrene monomer obtained were influenced by structural and textural properties of studied catalyst and the contribution on product distribution is discussed.      

High molecular weight monodisperse polystyrene microspheres prepared by dispersion polymerization,using a novel bifunctional macromonomer

A novel bifunctional vinyl‐terminated polyurethane macromonomer was applied to the dispersion polymerization of styrene in ethanol. Monodisperse polystyrene (PS) microspheres were successfully obtained above 15 wt % of macromonomer relative to styrene. The steep slope from the reduction of the average particle size reveals that the macromonomer can efficiently stabilize higher surface area of the particles when compared with a conventional stabilizer, poly(N‐vinylpyrrolidone). The stable and monodisperse PS microspheres having the weight‐average diameter of 1.2 μm and a good uniformity of 1.01 were obtained with 20 wt % polyurethane macromonomer. The grafting ratio of the PS calculated from ¹H NMR spectra linearly increased up to 0.048 with 20 wt % of the macromonomer. In addition, the high molecular weights (501,300 g/mol) of PS with increased glass transition and enhanced thermal degradation temperature were obtained. Thus, these results suggest that the bifunctional vinyl‐terminated polyurethane macromonomer acts as a reactive stabilizer, which gives polyurethane‐grafted PS with a high molecular weight. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3566–3573, 2005     

Swelling behavior of organoclays in styrene and exfoliation in nanocomposites

Organoclays were prepared by cationic exchange of montmorillonite (MMT) with three commercial surfactants: octadecylamine (ODA), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), benzalkonium chloride (BAC), and an in-house synthesized surfactant, vinylbenzylalkyldimethylammonium chloride (VDAC). The swelling behaviors of organoclays in styrene were compared by wettability and rheology measurements. VDAC-MMT had the slowest capillary rise rate in styrene. The Washburn equation was found not suitable for the swellable organoclay powders. All organoclay-styrene and organoclay-toluene mixtures demonstrated yield stress. However, VDAC-MMT-styrene and VDAC-MMT-toluene mixtures showed significant higher yield stresses than the other organoclay mixtures. The wettability and rheology measurements indicate that VDAC-MMT bearing a styryl functional group has the strongest interaction with styrene monomer and toluene. In order to further evaluate the extent of swelling and the microstructure, polystyrene (PS)-clay nanocomposites were prepared by in situ polymerization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicate that ODA and HTAB-MMT led to intercalated PS-clay nanocomposites, while VDAC-MMT formed exfoliated PS-clay nanocomposites.     

A facile method to prepare CdS/polystyrene composite particles

Nano-CdS/polystyrene composite particles were prepared via surfactant-free emulsion polymerization. 2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMEMA) was used as auxiliary monomer which co-polymerized with styrene (St) and provided the location for coordinating with Cd²⁺. By the coordination of Cd²⁺ ions to DMEMA, mono-disperse polystyrene with the Cd²⁺ ions on the particles surface were prepared successfully. With the release of S²⁻ ions from the thioacetamide (TAA), cadmium sulfide (CdS) was formed. Nano-CdS/PS composite particles could be synthesized via this facile method. The order of materials addition and the amount of initiator both are playing important roles to the final morphologies of the composite particles. In the method proposed in this study, no surfactant was used, and the stable emulsion was successfully obtained. UV–vis absorption and fluorescence measurement indicated the quantum dot effect in the resulted nano-CdS/PS composite particles. The possible composite particle formation mechanism was presented.     

Ultrasonically induced microemulsion polymerization of styrene

In this paper, ultrasonically induced microemulsion polymerization of styrene was successfully performed, possessing many merits such as high polymerization rate, the formation of small latex particles with a narrow size distribution, the absence of initiator and relatively low surfactant concentration. The monomer conversion reached 70% in 1 h, and the average diameter of polystyrene (PS) latex was about 30 nm which could be prepared with 3% surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) concentration. The molecular weight of PS was around 10⁶ and the poly-distribution index was 1.06, indicating a very narrow distribution. Several influencing factors were investigated in detail, showing that ultrasonically induced microemulsion polymerization is a new route to prepare PS nanoparticles.     

Production of micron-sized monodispersed core/shell composite polymer particles by seeded dispersion polymerization

 The effect of the weight ratio of seed polymer/monomer on the morphology of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/polystyrene (PS) monodispersed composite particles produced by batch seeded dispersion polymerization of styrene with 1.64-μm-sized monodispersed PMMA seed particles in a methanol/water medium (4/1 w/w) was examined. In the PMMA/PS weight ratios of 3/1 and 2/1, the composite particles had a clear morphology consisting of a PMMA core and a PS shell. In the ratio of 1/1, a lot of small PS domains were observed in the PMMA core though the PS shell was still formed. By stepwise addition of styrene monomer, the formation of the small PS domain was depressed and complete core/shell morphology was formed. Absorption/release treatments of toluene into/from the PMMA/PS (1/1 w/w) composite particles resulted in a drastic morphological change from the core/shell structure to a multi- layered one. Received: 2 February 1999 Accepted in revised form: 7 April     

Formation of radicals in the reactions of tetralin, 2-cyanopropane,and ethylbenzene hydroperoxides with styrene

The formation of free radicals in the reactions of structurally different hydroperoxides with styrene is investigated. The free-radical chain oxidation of styrene initiated by hydroperoxides has been studied volumetrically by measuring O₂ consumption during the reaction. The bimolecular rate constants of radical initiation in the reactions of styrene with tetralin, 2-cyanopropane, and ethylbenzene hydroperoxides are 1.5 × 10^?8, 2.6 × 10^?7, and 6.5 × 10^?9 l mol^?1 s^?1) (323 K), respectively. The reactivity of a hydroperoxide increases with increasing electron-acceptor properties of the substituent in its molecule.     

Dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with CO2 over Cr-MCM-41 catalyst

M-MCM-41 catalysts (M: V, Cr, Fe, and Ga) prepared by direct hydrothermal synthesis (DHT) have been tested for dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with CO₂. The synthesized materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N₂ adsorption (77 K), and diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopic measurements. Cr-MCM-41 showed the highest activity among M-MCM-41 catalysts tested, resulting in the production of styrene with the conversion of 65% and the selectivity above 90%. The rate of styrene formation increased with increasing Cr loading up to 1.7 wt.%. It is suggested that Cr(VI)O₄ in tetrahedral coordination is formed as an active monochromate species and reduced to Cr(III)O₆ in octahedral coordination as a less active polychromate species during the reaction. Deactivated catalyst was regenerated by a treatment with gaseous oxygen or CO₂, during which redistribution as well as reoxidation of polymeric Cr(III)O₆ octahedra to monomeric Cr(VI)O₄ tetrahedra was observed. The rate of CO formation increased together with that of styrene formation, while the rate of H₂ formation decreased, with increasing partial pressure of CO₂. It was confirmed that reverse water-gas shift reaction took place over Cr-MCM-41 by a separate experiment. The rate of CO formation during the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with CO₂ over Cr-MCM-41 was well accounted for by assuming parallel occurrence of two reactions, i.e., direct oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with CO₂ and simple dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene thermodynamically assisted by reverse water-gas shift reaction.     

颗粒内受限聚合法制备PP/POE/PS合金

以等规聚丙烯/乙烯-辛烯共聚物(PP/POE)合金颗粒为扩散基体, 苯乙烯(St)为扩散单体, 利用颗粒内受限聚合法制备了PP/POE/PS三元合金. 结果表明, 对于POE质量分数为20%~40%的PP/POE合金颗粒, St均可扩散至直径为4 mm的颗粒中心部位, 在POE非晶相中生成相尺寸为几十至几百纳米的PS球. 在PP/POE合金颗粒的不同部位, 因POE相尺寸及单体的吸附量不同, 生成的PS相尺寸也不同, 在颗粒中心部位生成的PS球最小. 研究了St在PP/POE(质量比80: 20)颗粒中的扩散-聚合行为, 结果表明, St在合金颗粒中的扩散速率和扩散饱和值远大于在纯PP颗粒中的扩散速率和饱和值, 这主要是因为PP/POE合金颗粒中的非晶POE相有利于扩散. 改变单体投料量可以获得具有不同PS含量的PP/POE/PS三元合金. 结晶性能研究结果表明, PS在非晶POE相中的优先分布会使POE相体积增大, 从而使PP的结晶温度和熔融温度降低. 随着PS量的进一步增大, 分布在PP中的PS对PP有结晶成核作用.     

Influence of montmorillonite nano-dispersion on polystyrene photo-oxidation

UV photo-oxidative degradation of polystyrene/montmorillonite nanocomposites (PS/o-MMTs) and microcomposite (PS/Na/MMT), obtained via in situ bulk polymerization, has been studied in accelerated conditions. Imidazolium or standard alkylammonium surfactants were used to modify MMT. The chemical modification resulting from photo-oxidation has been followed using infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The rate of photo-oxidation of PS/o-MMT and PS/Na/MMT was faster than that of pristine PS. The results suggest that the photo-oxidative instability could be related to the degree of exfoliation and then to the presence of catalytic active sites on the MMT layer surface.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene‐g‐polystyrene as the compatibilizer for polypropylene/ Polystyrene blends

Polyethylene‐g‐polystyrene (PE‐g‐PS) was synthesized as a compatibilizer for polypropylene/polystyrene­(PP/PS) blends by the living radical polymerization of styrene with polyethylene‐co‐glycidylmethacrylate (PE‐co‐GMA). The compatibilizer effect of PE‐g‐PS on the morphology and thermal properties of PP/PS blends was investigated. The crystalline temperature of PP in PP/PS blends decreased with increasing PE‐g‐PS contents. Morphologies of PP/PE‐g‐PS/PS blends showed much better dispersion of each domain for higher PE‐g‐PS contents. The molecular weight of PS segment in PP/PE‐g‐PS/PS blend was increased by addition of styrene monomer during the post melt blending process where post living radical polymerization reaction proceeded. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

聚苯乙烯/蒙脱土纳米复合材料的制备及结构研究

以可与苯乙烯发生共聚的阳离子表面活性剂乙烯苄基二甲基十八烷基氯化铵(VOAC)为插层处理剂改性蒙脱土(VC18-MMT),有机蒙脱土在超声波强剪切作用以及乳化剂作用下预分散在乳化剂溶液中,然后引入苯乙烯单体进行原位乳液聚合制备聚苯乙烯/蒙脱土纳米复合材料.采用XRD和TEM对纳米复合材料的结构进行了表征.结果表明,绝大多数的蒙脱土被剥离成单个片层均匀的分散在聚合物基体中;动态力学分析表明,纳米复合材料的储能模量和玻璃化温度均有所增加,而动态损耗有所降低;接枝在蒙脱土片层上的聚合物通过与锂离子进行阳离子交换反应提取下来,采用GPC和NMR对接枝聚合物的结构进行了表征,结果表明,接枝聚合物是较基体分子量低且分布很宽的苯乙烯和乙烯苄基二甲基十八烷基氯化铵的共聚物,计算表明每一个共聚物分子链上平均含有大约25个乙烯苄基二甲基十八烷基氯化铵分子.