REACTIONS IN OXIDATIVE DEGRADATION OF IRRADIATED POLYETHYLENE OXIDE

The chemical structure of the free radicals in irradiated polyethylenoxide is investigated by means of EPR. Other EPR experiments, measurements of oxygen consumption and IR experiments show, that the oxidation of irradiated polyethyleneoxide follows a radical chain reaction; in the course of this chain reaction every step leads to the cleavage of a CO bond which is stabilized by the formation of aldehyd end groups. From quantitative analysis of the IR experiments and of viscosimetric measurements of the molecular weight results finally, that the oxidative degradation of irradiated polyethyleneoxide is caused by the cleavages which are formed during the chain reaction. A model for the kinetic of the chain reaction is developed which describes the experimental results. © 1968 Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag.