Zum mechanismus des strahlenchemischen abbaus von polytetrafluorethylen

The present work studies the changes in polymer structure and the mechanism of the decomposition of polytetrafluoroethylene resin (PTFE) exposed to high energy radiation (electron beam). Spectroscopic and kinetic observations are used to interpret the degradation process. For the first time the decomposition of PTFE has been carried out on a preparative scale and new results obtained by analysing the degradation products. The radiation-induced degradation of PTFE is accompanied by thermal degradation under certain irradiation conditions. This is due to an increase in temperature of the polymer caused by retardation of highly accelerated electrons (heat accumulation effect).The kinetics are discussed in terms of the reactions and recombination of radicals produced by high-energy radiation both in the polymer melt and the polymer surface. These are related to the overall rate of decomposition.The primary radicals formed by decomposition of PTFE in an inert atmosphere (N₂, Ar) react to produce perfluorinated alkanes and alkenes. In the presence of reactive gases the decomposition fragments originated will react rapidly; e.g. if oxygen is present in the reactive area the radicals form perflourinated peroxyl and oxyl radicals which finally stabilize themselves by CC-scission to perfluorocarbon acid fluorides and carbonyldifluorides.     

Penetration and Crosslinking of Macromolecules

One of the topical problems of macromolecular chemistry is the question of the extent to which macromolecules in solution or in the amorphous solid state can engage in mutual interpenetration. The present article is concerned primarily with recent investigations on cross-linking copolymerization and with inter-and intramolecular reactions of polymers as a contribution to the study of molecular shape.     

Zur Dünnschicht-Chromatographie von zinnorganischen Verbindungen

With the aid of thinlayer chromatography mixtures of tetraorganotin compounds containing no polar groups can be separated and identified if they differ in the number of phenyl groups per molecule or in the nature of their aliphatic residues (alkyl or allyl). For analytical purposes mixtures of 80% hexane and 20% benzene by volume are suitable as mobile phase. For preparative purposes (requiring multiple development) pure hexane or hexane containing 10 to 20% benzene by volume are best suited as mobile phase, where the amount of hexane depends on the problem of separation at hand. The R_f values of the mobile phases vary linearly with the number of the phenyl groups x and decrease with increasing x. The straight lines connecting the R_f values cross at x=4 (tetraphenyltin). Dithizone and silver nitrate are suitable spray reagents for organotin compounds. By spraying the plates with dithizone tetra-, tri-, and di-organotin compounds can be immediately distinguished on the basis of the ensuing colourations. With silver nitrate allyltin compounds and polystannanes can be distinguished from alkyltin compounds; tetra-phenyltin is not coloured by this reagent.