Chemiluminescence from peroxides in polypropylene .2. Luminescence and kinetics of peroxide decomposition

The kinetics of the weak chemiluminescence (CL) observed when partially oxidised polypropylene is heated in an inert atmosphere have been studied. CL from isothermal decomposition of peroxides is shown to decay more rapidly than do the peroxides, following second-order kinetics. Kinetic analysis allows both the activation energy for peroxide decomposition and the temperature dependence of the emission quantum efficiency to be determined. Chemiluminescence decay and initial rates of peroxide decomposition can be correlated only by assuming that the emission arises from a small fraction of reactive peroxides. (C) 1997 EIsevier Science Limited.