DSC analysis of ethylene/1-butene copolymers obtained with different ziegler–natta catalysts

The crystallization and melting behaviour of two sets of ethylene/1-butene copolymers have been analysed by DSC. The samples, with comonomer content in the range from 0 to 21.5 mol%, were obtained by industrial processes using both Mg/Ti-based catalyst systems. The composition dependences of melting and crystallization temperatures were found to be strictly affected by the catalyst type. Moreover, logarithmic plots of the melting and crystallization enthalpy as a function of the ethylene content (mol%) in the copolymers fitted linear relationships whose slopes have been related to the critical sequence length of crystallizable ethylene units, depending on the catalytic system. These results are compared with those reported in the literature for ethylene/1-butene copolymers synthesized by other catalysts and are accounted for by a different distribution of the comonomer units in the macromolecules of the two sets of samples.     

Water extraction and degradation of a sterically hindered phenolic antioxidant in polypropylene films

Water extraction of the sterically hindered phenolic antioxidant Irganox 1010 from three polypropylene based polymeric films has been studied in isothermal conditions at 40, 50 and 70 °C. The films made of isotactic polypropylene and two different heterophasic polypropylene/ethylene–propylene monomers copolymers (PP/EPM copolymers) were immersed in closed water baths under nitrogen atmosphere in order to minimise the oxidative process. The amounts of antioxidant that have left the films and are dissolved in the water bath have been monitored over time by HPLC analysis and faster extraction kinetics were observed from the polymers than from the homopolymer. No appreciable amounts of Irganox 1010 were found in the extraction water at any time, whereas its degradation by-products were found by LC/MS analysis in the extraction water.

The experimental extraction kinetics from the three polymers were compared with the theoretical curves based on the Fick's diffusion equations solved both for a semi-infinite (degradation reaction faster than extraction) and a finite system (no degradation reaction) and Irganox 1010 was demonstrated to be extracted by water from polypropylene based material faster than predictable only on the basis of the values of its coefficient of diffusion in the polymers and of partition between water and polymer.     

A Model Study of Ti(OBu)4 Catalyzed Reactions during Reactive Blending of Polyethylene (PE) and Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)

Summary: The effect of metal catalysts in promoting the formation of the comb copolymer between a very low density polyethylene (VLDPE) grafted with diethyl maleate and PET has been studied in this paper following a model study based on low molecular weight molecules resembling the local structure of the reactive groups in the reference macromolecules. Ti(OBu)₄ was used as the catalyst and the reactions were carried out under the same conditions as in the case of the macromolecules species. The model mixtures have been analyzed by FT‐IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and GC‐MS and evidence of the degradation of ester bonds, deactivation of hydroxyl terminals of PET and the possible crosslinking of functionalized polyolefin have been observed. The molecular model process agrees with results obtained for the macromolecular system blending PET and VLDPE grafted with diethyl maleate in a Brabender mixer in the presence of Ti(OBu)₄, as evaluated by mixer torque values and selective extraction results. Therefore, the present model study allows us to both obtain information about reaction mechanism in the complex melt biphasic system and to suggest new strategies to optimize the process.

Brabender torque/time graphics of PET in presence of different amounts of Ti(OBu)₄.     

Organophilic Boehmite nanoparticles by ATRP methacrylates polymerization: synthesis, characterization and dispersion in polypropylene

Boehmite nanoparticles covered with a polymer shell enhancing the organophilicity of the surface were prepared by physical adsorption of a polyelectrolyte atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) macroinitiator followed by graft-polymerization of methyl methacrylate or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The presence of polymer chains adsorbed/grafted on the Boehmite was confirmed by attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy and by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), which showed a significant amount of polymer covering the particles. The methodology of polymerization and the kinetics suggested the possibility to modulate the amount, type and thickness of grafted polymer shell. These organic-inorganic hybrid materials were melt compounded in a Brabender mixer with isotactic polypropylene in the presence of functionalized polypropylene. The dispersion degree of Boehmite nanoparticles in the polypropylene matrix as well as their reinforcing effect were studied by morphology characterization [scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)], whereas thermal and thermo-mechanical properties were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA).     

Photochemistry and photophysics of copolymers of (−)menthyl acrylate with 4-hydroxystilbene acrylate

Copolymers of trans-4-hydroxystilbene with (—)menthyl acrylate exhibit upon irradiation transåcis isomerization of the side-chain stilbene chromophores analogously to trans-4-hydroxystilbene-2-methylpropanoate, chosen as low molecular weight model compound. U.v. measurements on polymer samples indicate a deviation from first-order kinetics. In the fluorescence spectra of all-trans polymer samples both excimer and monomer emissions are observed. On irradiation the excimeric component is quenched much faster than the monomeric one. Fluorescence polarization experiments indicate a higher conformational rigidity of the stilbene chromophore when inserted in polymeric systems. Comparison of chiroptical properties of both unirradiated and irradiated copolymers suggests that on irradiation a local conformational rearrangement of macromolecules takes place.     

Polymers containing side-chain benzophenone chromophores: a new class of highly efficient polymerization photoinitiators

In the present paper the efficiency of side-chain benzophenone chromophores containing polymers has been tested in the u.v. photoinitiated polymerization of acrylic monomers. Poly(4-acryloxybenzophenone) (poly(ABP)) and copolymers of acryloxybenzophenone (ABP) with (-)-menthyl acrylate (MtA), methyl acrylate (MA) and 1-acryloxy-2-ethoxyethane (AEE) exhibit much higher efficiency than that observed for the low molecular weight model compound 4-(2-methylpropionyloxy)benzophenone (IBP). The experimental findings indicate that the efficiency of the copolymer as photoinitiator depends markedly on the nature of benzophenone non-containing co-units and on the sequence length of ABP monomeric units. When poly(ABP) is used as photoinitiator in combination with a tertiary amine such as N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) or poly[4-(N,N-dimethylamino)styrene] (poly(DMAS)), its efficiency is higher than that observed for the corresponding IBP/DMA and IBP/poly(DMAS) systems. Only in the case of the substantially alternating copolymer of ABP with DMAS is the efficiency of the macromolecular photoinitiator lower with respect to that of the mixture of the monomeric analogues (IBP + DMA).     

Reactivity of NO/NO2–NH3 SCR system for diesel exhaust aftertreatment: Identification of the reaction network as a function of temperature and NO2 feed content

We present a systematic study of the NH₃-SCR reactivity over a commercial V₂O₅–WO₃/TiO₂ catalyst in a wide range of temperatures and NO/NO₂ feed ratios, which cover (and exceed) those of interest for industrial applications to the aftertreatment of exhaust gases from diesel vehicles. The experiments confirm that the best deNO_x efficiency is achieved with a 1/1 NO/NO₂ feed ratio. The main reactions prevailing at the different operating conditions have been identified, and an overall reaction scheme is herein proposed.

Particular attention has been paid to the role of ammonium nitrate, which forms rapidly at low temperatures and with excess NO₂, determining a lower N₂ selectivity of the deNO_x process. Data are presented which show that the chemistry of the NO/NO₂–NH₃ reacting system can be fully interpreted according to a mechanism which involves: (i) dimerization/disproportion of NO₂ and reaction with NH₃ and water to give ammonium nitrite and ammonium nitrate; (ii) reduction of ammonium nitrate by NO to ammonium nitrite; (iii) decomposition of ammonium nitrite to nitrogen. Such a scheme explains the peculiar deNO_x reactivity at low temperature in the presence of NO₂, the optimal stoichiometry (NO/NO₂ = 1/1), and the observed selectivities to all the major N-containing products (N₂, NH₄NO₃, HNO₃, N₂O). It also provides the basis for the development of a mechanistic kinetic model of the NO/NO₂–NH₃ SCR reacting system.     

FTIR microspectroscopy and DSC analysis of blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) with isotactic and syndiotactic poly(methyl methacrylate)

Films of blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with isotactic and syndiotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (i-PMMA and s-PMMA), obtained by casting tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) solutions onto BaF₂ windows, have been investigated by means of FTIR-microspectroscopy (FTIR-M), optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The study of the effect of the PMMA tacticity on the intermolecular interaction between the two components, as well as on the structure, morphology and thermal behaviour of these blends, is the object of this paper. On the basis of the major shift of the carbonyl band of i-PMMA in the mixtures, the occurrence of stronger interactions for PVDF/i-PMMA compared with PVDF/s-PMMA blends can be suggested. © 1998 SCI.     

Modelling of an SCR catalytic converter for diesel exhaust after treatment: Dynamic effects at low temperature

As part of a fundamental and applied work on the development of an unsteady mathematical model of the NH₃-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process for design and control of integrated after-treatment systems of heavy-duty engines, we present herein a transient kinetic analysis of the standard SCR NO + NH₃ system which provides new insight in the catalytic kinetics and mechanism prevailing at low temperatures. Based on kinetic runs performed over a commercial powdered V₂O₅–WO₃–TiO₂ catalyst in the 175–450 °C T-range feeding NH₃ and NO (1000 ppm) in the presence of H₂O (1–10%, v/v) and O₂ (2–6%, v/v), an original dual-site modified redox rate law is derived which effectively accounts for NH₃ inhibition effects observed during transient reactive experiments at T < 250 °C. We also demonstrate that implementation of the novel modified redox kinetics into a fully predictive 1D + 1D model of SCR monolith reactors can significantly improve simulations of SCR transient runs at different scales, including engine test bench experiments over full-scale SCR honeycomb catalysts.     

Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene‐layered double hydroxide composites: Correlation with morphology

In this work the effect of nanofiller on nonisothermal crystallization behavior of composites based on polypropylene (PP) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The materials were prepared by melt mixing. Both an alkyl sulfonate salt modified layered double hydroxide (LDH) and an unmodified LDH were used as nanofillers and both PP and PP/polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PP‐g‐MA) blend were used as matrices. The morphology of composites was investigated by X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. No exfoliation was noticed in all prepared composites, but the hybrid materials showed an intercalated structure. The thermal properties and crystallization behavior were studied by conventional differential scanning calorimetry. In particular, the kinetic crystallization parameters were obtained using the modified Avrami equation for a nonisothermal process, whereas the activation energy of the global crystallization process was estimated using the Kissinger equation. The Avrami parameters suggest a significant effect on the crystallization of PP for the composites containing both the organically modified LDH and PP‐g‐MA. The results indicate a complex crystallization process of PP and evidence that the crystallization process can not be only explained by intercalation phenomenon, but the constrain effect ofpolymer chains on the filler surface and/or betweenthe filler clusters should play a significant role. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers