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Different degradability of two similar polypropylenes as revealed by macromolecule scission and crosslinking rates

Lookup NU author(s): Emeritus Professor Jim White

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Abstract

The photodegradation of bars made from two nominally similar polypropylenes has been monitored during prolonged UV exposure by deriving the scission and crosslink concentrations at different depths using computer-aided analysis of GPC molecular mass distributions. The degradation in one of the polypropylenes (MPP) was much faster than in the other (PP). A steep degradation profile was observed near to the exposed surface; it remained in a fixed position with PP but moved progressively away from the surface in MPP. This correlated with the tensile failure behaviour observed with the samples. The scission/crosslink ratio fell steeply from 6 to 8 near the surface to ∼3 in the interior. The steepest part of the transition was at about 0.3 mm with PP for all exposures whereas with MPP it moved progressively away from the exposed surface (∼0.3 mm after 16 weeks exposure; ∼0.7 mm after 49 weeks). Stabilized PP and MPP showed quite different degradation profiles to the unstabilized polymers. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Shyichuk AV, Turton TJ, White JR, Syrotynska ID

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Polymer Degradation and Stability

Year: 2004

Volume: 86

Issue: 2

Pages: 377-383

ISSN (print): 0141-3910

ISSN (electronic): 1873-2321

Publisher: Elsevier

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2004.05.011

DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2004.05.011

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