Analysis of the nonvolatile oxidation products of polypropylene I. Thermal oxidation

Abstract

Abstract The nonvolatile products in thermal‐oxidized polypropylene sheet have been quantitatively identified by infrared analysis and chemical reaction. The molecular weight changes with oxidation have been studied by gel‐permeation chromatography. It was determined that there is a functional group at each end of a chain. A general oxidation mechanism scheme for polypropylene is presented. The discovery of γ‐lactone is an indication of the importance of an intramolecular backbiting process. The overall functional group distribution is found to differ from that found in a polyethylene sheet.