Infrared spectroscopic investigation of thermal oxidation at copper/polyethylene interfaces by computer‐assisted measurement of attenuated total reflection

Abstract

Abstract The possibilities of attenuated total reflection (ATR) are considered and a difference spectroscopic procedure based on digitally measured IR‐ATR‐spectra is presented. This is applied to the investigation of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE), thermally oxidized in contact with copper. Depth distributions of catalytic active copper salts near to the interface are obtained in dependence on oxidation time at 110°C. Existing concepts about the metal‐catalyzed thermal oxidation of the system Cu/PE are improved.