Analysis of nonvolatile oxidation products of polypropylene. II. Process degradation

Abstract

Abstract The nonvolatile products of polypropylene that has been process degraded in the melt by a Brabender torque rheometer have been quantitatively identified by infrared analysis and chemical reactions carried out on molded sheets. The molecular weight changes with degradation have been determined by gel‐permeation chromatography (GPC). It was determined that there is only one functional group per chain scission instead of the two groups previously found for thermal oxidation in the solid state. The molecular weight distribution is similar, but the functional groups and the general scheme of oxidation differ slightly from those previously found for polyolefin oxidation carried out below the melting point. The functional group distribution differs from that determined in a process‐degraded polyethylene sample.