Browsing by Subject "Polyvinyl chloride."

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Open Access
Analysis of UV induced dehydrochlorinated PVC (With hydroquinone) using direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry (DPMS), TGA, UV/VIS-NIR and FTIR techniques
(2003) Avcı, Ercan
Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) degrades easily upon heat and light exposure via loss of HCl. The mechanism of this process is well understood, known as the zip mechanism and the dehydrochlorination results in conjugated segments, polyenes. It is also possible to utilize PVC polymer as an in-situ acid donor since the main degradation product is HCl. Addition of hydroquinone (HQ) into PVC matrix sensitizes the photodehydrochlorination of PVC at 312 nm. In this study the effects of photodehydrochlorination on thermal and material properties of PVC were investigated using DPMS and TGA as well as UV-Vis-NIR and FTIR techniques. In addition, the photodegradation of PVC/PVAc blend, copolymer (PVC-coPVAc) and PVAc were similarly investigated. Dehydrochlorination of the polymers resulting from UV-exposure were also investigated for doping of PANI in blends. HCl evolution behavior of the UV dehydrochlorinated PVC exhibits a characteristic property which is different from the unirradiated ones. Both DPMS and TGA results confirms the sensitization of PVC photodehydrochlorination at 312 nm by hydroquinone (HQ) resulting in a temperature onset that is the lowest (140 oC). HQ assistance upon 312 nm UV exposure is not significantly observed in the copolymer. The low temperature onset of UV-induced copolymer is a promising result to produce longer polyene chains, since polymer backbone starts to decompose after ca. 220 oC, using copolymer might be an alternative to PVC.
Open Access
Spectroscopic investigation of polyvinyl chloride photodegradation in blends with basic traps
(1999) Birer, Özgür
Polyvinyl chloride degrades via loss of HCI when it is exposed to heat, energetic particles or photons. The mechanism is known as the zip mechanism and results in conjugated segments, polyenes. Degradation also leads to loss of mechanical properties of PVC. However, from another point of view, PVC is a Bronsted acid source, with controllable emission. Furthermore, the polyenes are small segments of polyacetylene, which itself is a very interesting one-dimensional system. Understanding the building blocks clearly helps to envisage larger systems. This study has two main goals. The first goal is benefiting from the radiation induced in-situ created HCI by incorporating basic traps into the polymer matrix and inducing optical or electrical conductivity changes. The second goal is to tune the wavelength of photodegradation by introducing sensitisers into the polymer matrix to affect the chain length of the polyenes. For the first part of the study, pH indicators, and basic forms of conducting polymers were blended with PVC and the films were irradiated with UV radiation. Optical changes were monitored with UV-Vis-NIR Spectroscopy. Similar to several other dyes tried, Bromcresol Green, and Methyl Violet changed their optical properties when they were exposed to UV radiation in the PVC matrix. However, Methyl Violet, being resistant to UV radiation, proved to be a suitable component for possible dosimetric and lithographic applications. Basic forms of polyaniline and poly-2-chloro aniline were blended with PVC, and upon irradiation of the blend, they were converted to conducting salt forms as a result of doping with in-situ created HCI. The structural changes were monitored with UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometry as well as FTIR spectroscopy. PVC/2-CI PAN I blends gave better results compared to PVC/PANI blends. For the second part of the study, hydroquinone, anthraquinone, and anthracene were introduced into the PVC matrix. The samples were irradiated with monochromatic UV radiation at the absorption maxima of these sensitisers. It was established that the nature of polyene formation is dependent on the wavelength of irradiation as well as the amount of energy transferred to the PVC chains.