Design of a New Method for Oxidizing Polypropylene Wax through the Scraper Reactor and Its Characterization

Abstract

In this paper, a new scraper reactor is developed to oxidize polypropylene wax, and the reactor is studied through the characterization of the product. Compared with the traditional polyolefin wax high-pressure reactor, the scraper reactor made all samples heated evenly through the outer wall heating, effectively avoiding the problem of inconsistent reaction progress caused by uneven heating. The scraper constantly updates the interface, making the product fully in contact with the air and ensuring the atmosphere conditions for introducing polar groups. The scraper reactor not only simplifies the reaction conditions greatly but also saves the cost of oxidation. The scraper reactor replaces the traditional high-pressure stirring reactor, the membrane scraper in the reactor replaces the traditional stirring, and the air is used as the oxidant. A one-step reaction could obtain high-quality oxidized polypropylene wax (OPPW). The reaction time and temperature effects on OPPW products in new oxidation equipment are discussed. Through oxidation reaction, polar groups such as -C=O and -COOH are introduced into PPW to perform better in the polar environment and improve its thermal stability.