Ionic products from the mechanical fracture of solid polypropylene

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When polypropylene was fractured with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) in the dark in vacuo at 77 K, the TCNE anion radical, TCNE — was detected (using e.s.r. methods). The TCNE — is produced by the attraction of an electron by TCNE from an anion arising from the mechanical fracture of solid polypropylene. This is presumably by ‘heterogeneous scission’ of main-chain carbon—carbon bonds in the polymer. Free radicals of the chain-end type arising from the mechanical fracture of solid polypropylene are also produced by ‘homogeneous scission’. At least 37% of scission occurs by the heterogeneous process.