The degradation of poly(vinyl chloride). II. Oxidative degradation in solution

The results of studies on the oxidative degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) in a solvent, triphenyl phosphate, are described and compared with results previously reported for the oxidative degradation of bulk polymer samples. A range of chain-breaking and peroxide-decomposing antioxidants of the type commonly used to stabilize polyolefins were not effective in reducing the rate of dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride).