CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RIGID PHASES IN ETHENE PROPENE COPOLYMERS BY SOLID-STATE NMR-SPECTROSCOPY

The application of solid state n.m.r. techniques to the characterization of ethene-propene copolymers is described. This study illustrates how the mechanical properties of a copolymer can be related to the polymer chemistry by the use of selective n.m.r. experiments. In particular, evidence for a rigid copolymer phase was sought to help identify the nature of the copolymer-polypropene matrix interface. No evidence for a rigid copolymer phase was in fact found, suggesting amorphous polypropene forms the interface. On the other hand there was clear evidence for crystallizable runs of ethene with a domain size in excess of 30 angstrom or so.