Photothermal imaging of dehydrochlorination in poly(vinyl chloride) films

Impulse (time domain) laser photopyroelectric effect spectrometry uses the time dependence of heat diffusion in an irradiated sample to infer optical and thermal property depth distributions in the sample. This method was used in conjunction with a recently reported method of inverse problem theory to recover the depth dependence of optical absorption in photodegraded thin films of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) on a depth scale of a few tens of microns. The thin films were photodegraded under broadband ultraviolet light prior to photothermal analysis to induce subsurface profiles of visible absorption arising from the depth dependence of light initiated dehydrochlorination reactions in the films. Optical depth profile reconstructions could be made in samples that had undergone mild degradation only and where the absence of significant thermal effusivity changes accompanying degradation could be confirmed. Reconstructed optical transmission profiles were compared with optical transmission micrographs and were shown to resolve features that arise from the depth dependence of photo-induced dehydrochlorination reactions in the films. The extent of these latter reactions is controlled by the depth dependence of the oxygen concentration in the films.     

Thermal dehydrochlorination of PVC in the presence of rubber seed oil

Dehydrochlorination rates of PVC in nitrogen atmosphere were determined in the presence of rubber seed oil (RSO), epoxidized rubber seed oil (ERSO), barium soap of rubber seed oil fatty acids and barium soap of epoxidized fatty acid of rubber seed oil. The initial rates of dehydrochlorination and the time required for the degradation to attain 1% conversion showed that the rubber seed oil derivatives exert a stabilizing effect on the degradation of PVC. The order of the stabilizing effect was found to be metal soaps of ERSO < metal soaps of RSO < ERSO < RSO.     

Kinetic model for thermal dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride)

In this paper, a novel method for calculating degradation kinetics is presented. The method has been applied to the thermal dehydrochlorination of two different samples of PVC. It has been observed that this dehydrochlorination is complex and involves two different processes. A model that accounts for the entire dehydrochlorination is proposed. This model involves nucleation and growth and diffusion controlled mechanisms. The kinetic parameters are obtained from linear heating rate, isothermal and sample controlled thermal analysis experiments. Kinetic results obtained from the macroscopic thermal analysis measurements demonstrate the correlation between the kinetics of the thermal dehydrochlorination of PVC and the structure of this macromolecule.     

Thermal dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride). I. Effect of iron oxide on the rate of dehydrochlorination

The thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was studied by following the rates of dehydrochlorination at temperatures between 180°C in pure nitrogen and air flow. Iron oxide accelerates the elimination of hydrogen chloride from PVC. The accelerating effect depends on the concentration of the oxide, and it has a maximum. This work tried to explain these behaviors. A mechanism of dehydrochlorination is suggested for polymer containing iron oxide.     

The effect of amines on the dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride)

A study has been made of the effect of amines, particularly those used as catalysts in the preparation of polyurethane foams, on the dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). It has been shown that when PVC is heated at a temperature of 80°C in the presence of amines the levels of dehydrochlorination produced are considerably greater than those found if no amine is present. This has been attributed to a chemical dehydrochlorination reaction and could well have implications with respect to the physical and mechanical properties of the polymer for certain of its commercial applications.     

Thermal analysis of compounded poly(vinyl chloride)

Differential thermal analysis of mixtures of poly(vinyl chloride) and dioctyl phthalate shows a compound endothermic peak due to decomposition of both polymer and plasticizer. The thermal behavior of other plasticizers is similarly affected in the presence of poly(vinyl chloride). The addition of zinc oxide or ferric oxide decreases the thermal stability of the mixture and, under isothermal conditions, a resultant induction period allows the estimation of an activation energy for the dehydrochlorination of poly-(vinyl chloride) and of the relative effectiveness of thermal stabilizer systems.     

Thermal analysis of irradiated poly(vinyl chloride)

The thermal decomposition and resultant disposal of waste poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is facilitated by preliminary exposure to ionizing radiation, such as energetic electrons, in an oxygen atmosphere. The results of isothermal and temperature-programmed thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and effluent gas analysis in nitrogen and in oxygen indicate that the major effect of irradiation is to render PVC increasingly susceptible to oxidation. The presence of oxygen during heating enhances the decomposition. Crystalline order in PVC is destroyed by irradiation.     

Thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) blends

Poly(vinyl chloride) was mixed with various poly(methacrylate)s and polycarbonates by combined precipitation from common solutions. The thermal stability of the samples was measured at 180°C under nitrogen, the HCl evolved was detected by conductometry. UV-Vis-spectra of degraded samples were measured to investigate the influence of the poly(methacrylate)s on the lengths of polyenes formed during the degradation of poly(vinyl chloride). The experiments show that the nature of the ester group is the dominating factor for the thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride) in these blends. Poly(n-butylmethacrylate) exhibits the best stabilization for poly(vinyl chloride) in this series. Polycarbonates with a higher glass transition temperature than the temperature of degradation destabilize poly(vinyl chloride). Stabilization experiments with dibutyltin-bis(isooctylthioglycolate) show a costabilizing effect of the poly(methacrylate)s and polycarbonates.     

Thermal analysis of poly (vinyl chloride) fractions

The thermal stability of commercial poly(vinyl Chloride) and its four fractions having different intrinsic viscosities (1.152–0.397 dl/g) has been investigated thermogravimetrically in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, up to a temperature of 400°C, by using the nonisothermal technique. The results indicate that the thermal stability of the polymer is inversely proportional to its intrinsic viscosity. The kinetic parameters have been evaluated for the early stages of decomposition (2% to 20%). The results have been explained on the basis of different structures of the polymer chain in fractions of high and low intrinsic viscosity.     

Catalytic dehydrochlorination of the solid poly(vinyl chloride) in the presence of aluminium chloride (friedel-crafts) catalyst: Studies of the structure by spectroscopical methods

Catalytic dehydrochlorination (100%) of solid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in the presence of AlCl₃ at 200°C gives a product which has a similar structure to the product of catalytic dehydrochlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane in the presence of AlCl₃ at 60°C. Both products have brown-black color, are completely insoluble, thermally resistant up to more than 400°C, and exhibit conductivities in the range 10^?6 S cm^?1 (after doping with FeCl₃ or I₂ conductivities: 10^?5 S cm^?1). Different spectroscopical methods such as UV/VIS, IR, Raman, ESCA, and ¹³C-NMR were employed to the structure study of both products, which are crosslinked polyenes with a number of aromatic rings.     

Thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) in alkyl maleates

The thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) has been investigated in diethyl, dibutyl and dioctyl maleate under nitrogen from 160°C to 210°C. The rate of dehydrochlorination was highest in dibutyl maleate and lowest in dioctyl maleate. The apparent activation energy calculated from the average value of the rate constant at each temperature for diethyl, dibutyl and dioctyl maleate was found to be 83.6 kJ mole^?1, 112.7 kJ mole^?1, and 150.5 kJ mole^?1, respectively. The rates of dehydrochlorination and the activation energy observed in alkyl maleates are higher than those observed in ethyl benzoate. In the visible range spectra the absorption at higher wavelengths is considerably reduced in alkyl maleates.     

Poly(ethylene glycol)s catalyzed two-phase dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride) with potassium hydroxide

Poly(ethylene glycol)s [HO(CH₂CH₂O)_nH, where n > 3] are highly active and selective in catalyzing dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride) in organic–aqueous hydroxide two-phase systems. Their catalytic activity and stability are much higher than those of widely used quaternary ammonium or phosphonium compounds. Poly(vinyl chloride) can be extensively dehydrochlorinated within half an hour at room temperature. The products are polyacetylene-like and have long polyene sequences according to their UV/visible, FT-Raman, and FT-infrared spectra. They can be doped by iodine to conductive states, with conductivities of 1–4 S cm⁻¹. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 70: 2463–2469, 1998     

The solubility of vinyl chloride in poly(vinyl chloride)

The solubility of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) in PVC powders has been studied by equilibrium vapor pressure and microbalance gravimetric techniques at temperatures from 30 to 110°C. At temperatures and VCM concentrations above the glass transition, the solubility closely follows the Flory-Huggins equation with χ = 0.98 and is independent of temperature and of the PVC type, molecular weight, or history. In the glassy state, the VCM solubility is higher than the Flory-Huggins value and shows pronounced dependence upon time and the PVC history. These results have been interpreted through the dual-mode sorption concept of Michaels, Vieth, and Barrie: Normal dissolution follows the Flory-Huggins relation, and the additional glassy-state solubility represents the contribution of a hole-filling process. Changes in solubility with time and sample history parallel well-known volume relaxation processes, indicating that vapor solubility measurements offer a direct and sensitive measure of the free-volume state of glassy polymers.     

Thermal stability of modified poly(vinyl chloride) by TGA

The stability of poly(vinyl chloride), as measured by thermogravimetric analysis, is significantly different from that of other thermoplastics. It is shown that the onset of weight loss can be correlated with the development of color in a processed resin. It is further shown that the ingredients within a rigid polyvinyl chloride compound drastically alter its thermal behavior. The effect of lubricant and stabilizer on the degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) is stressed.     

Photosensitized dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride). I. Effect of commercial additives

A commercial formulation of thermal antioxidant has been shown to photosensitize the dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride). The species responsible was shown to be a p-alkyl-substituted phenol, and this was confirmed using p-cresol as a model compound.     

Thermal analysis of the glass transition of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)

Earlier studies by differential scanning calorimetry showed anomalous behavior of T_g with varying amounts of dioctyl phthalate, while by dynamic mechanical analysis 2 T_g's were found over a limited concentration range. In this study, two adjacent T_g's were found over the complete range of concentrations of dioctyl phthalate or dioctyl adipate, changing in relative contributions over the range. The results are shown to be consistent with the earlier work and to fit the Couchman model more closely than other models tested.     

On the thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride). IV. Initiation sites of dehydrochlorination

A set of poly(vinyl chloride) samples were investigated with respect to their thermal stability. The dehydrochlorination rates were measured in nitrogen at 190°C by use of a very accurate, conductometric method. For all polymers studied, a significant molecular weight increase was observed after 0.4% conversion. With only one exception, samples exhibiting higher degradation rates showed higher absorptions (350–450 nm) after 0.4% dehydrochlorination. In addition, the relative amount of short polyene sequences was found to be higher for polymers with higher degrees of branching. The dehydrochlorination reaction was predominantly initiated at sites of internal unsaturation (allylic chlorines), but an initiation at tertiary chlorines and unstable end-groups could not be completely omitted. Head-to-head units, extraneous impurities, and syndiotactic sequences were found to be of minor importance in this respect.     

Thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) in oxidative and non-oxidative atmospheres

The thermal degradation of PVC has been studied. The formation of benzene and crosslinkages are closely correlated, and the critical temperature of the benzene evolution is found to be about 583 K. Thermodynamic functions have been estimated from the specific reaction rate of benzene formation, and the mechanism of cyclization is discussed.