Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, Vol.38, No.18, 3383-3389, 2000
Electron spin resonance study on chemical crosslinking reaction mechanisms of polyethylene using a chemical agent. V. Comparison with polypropylene and ethylene-propylene copolymer
We studied the chemical reaction process of polypropylene (PP), ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPM), and ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM) crosslinking induced by dicumyl peroxide (DCP) using electron spin resonance (ESR). Free radicals appeared at an elevated temperature of around 120 degrees C and the behavior and kinetics of the reaction process were observed at 180 degrees C. The radical species detected in PP were alkyl type radicals, formed by the abstraction of hydrogen atoms from the tertiary carbon of polymer chains. For EPDM containing a diene component, the radicals were trapped at double bonds in this diene component to form allyl radicals. The resolutions of these spectra were extremely clear; hence, isotropic spectra of these polymer radicals were obtained. We measured the ESR at high temperatures and confirmed that the process of crosslinking induced by DCP was a free radical reaction.