The use of inverse gas chromatography to study surface thermal oxidation of polypropylene

Thermo-oxidative effects on the surface energy of polypropylene were measured by inverse gas chromatography as a function of exposure time and temperature. Unaltered polypropylene had a surface energy of 33 mJ/m². Oxidized polypropylene, after exposure to air at temperatures of 100 °C and 110 °C, had a range of maximum surface energies from 38 to 41 mJ/m². Comparisons between FTIR carbonyl peak growth and the surface energy showed that both methods detect oxidation, though the increase in surface energy is detected before the carbonyl peak growth is noticeable. The work of adhesion predicted by the surface free energies obtained in this work between a coated calcium carbonate and polypropylene changes by 10% due to the oxidation of the polymer at 110 °C.