Study on permeation behavior and chemical degradation of PA66 in acid solution

In many polymers under corrosive liquids, degradation followed after permeation of environmental solution for a long period. The permeation rate of environmental solution, in many cases, is very low in corrosion-resistant polymeric materials. Therefore, the observation of the permeation of environmental solution and degradation of polymeric materials are very difficult in practical application. A simulation of permeation of solution is required in order to understand the permeation behavior of environmental solution and polymer degradation. A detailed analysis of the permeation behavior of solution accompanied by chemical reaction is important to study for improving the lifetime of polymers. Polyamide 66 (PA66) and sulfuric acid solution were used to investigate the quantitative study of permeation of environmental solution and its relation to degradation of polymeric materials. Correlation between diffusion process and degradation of PA66 related to the decrease of weight average molecular weight was defined. The diffusion rate of sulfuric acid solution was found to increase by decreasing weight average molecular weight of PA66 due to the established chain scission by hydrolysis reaction. The permeation of sulfuric acid solution that affected the decomposition reaction was modeled and quantitative evaluation of permeation of sulfuric acid was established.     

The reciprocal influence between ion transport and degradation of PA66 in acid solution

Transport behavior of acid solution through polyamide was studied by measuring element distribution in cross section, pH, and ion concentration. Degree of degradation that related to the decreasing of molecular weight and flexural strength was observed in order to study the influence of acid solution on the polyamide 66 (PA66) degradation. The permeation mechanism of acid solution can be explained: at first water penetrates into polyamide and it is followed by acid. In this process, water does not affect the molecular weight at 50 °C but only reduces the polyamide strength by plasticization. Moreover, proton (H⁺) has contributed to the anion transport and degradation of polyamide by the hydrolytic reaction. Proton attacks the polyamide chain, and scission of chain occurs, and reacts with anion to form other material substance. This process affects the decrease of molecular weight and the significant loss of polyamide strength. Analysis results from ion concentration measurement shows that the amount of proton and anion transport into deionized waterside was imbalance, which probably due to the different mobility between proton and anion or formation of other material substance by reaction of anion and PA66 bond. Such information is not only necessary for the investigation of hydrolytic degradation of polymer and prediction of lifetimes for a protective polymer lining/coating to chemical attack, but may also be helpful towards gaining a deeper insight into the processes of degradation of other polymer.