Changes in molecular weight during autoxidation of atactic polypropylene in solution

Abstract

AbstractThe authors had previously reported a general scheme with corresponding kinetic expressions for the uncatalyzed thermal autoxidation of polyolefins, such as atactic polybutene‐1 (APB), in the bulk phase. Recently, Bawn and Chaudhri reported that similar kinetic expressions and scheme were also applicable to autoxidation of atactic polypropylene (APP) in solution. These workers did not attempt to correlate their results for the effect of oxidation on the molecular weight of APP as evidenced by intrinsic viscosity. In this paper, we have applied expressions, previously reported for changes in intrinsic viscosity as a function of time during the autoxidation of APB in the bulk phase, to the data provided by Bawn and Chaudhri for the autoxidation of APP in solution. The quantitative evidence obtained indicates that the intrinsic viscosity relationships which were found to be valid for the autoxidation of APB in the bulk phase are also valid for the autoxidation of APP in solution (at polymer concentrations of ca. 1.5M and above).