ISSN:
0032-3888
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Chemical Engineering
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
The kinetics of thermal and thermal-oxidative degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have been investigated as a function of melt temperature, melt residence time, melt environment, and drying environment. Rates of thermal and thermal-oxidative degradation were measured in terms of: weight loss of volatile degradation products, decreasing inherent viscosity, and increasing carboxyl end group concentration. Thermal-oxidative degradation was also investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Calorimetric results show that thermal-oxidative degradation of PET is an exothermic reaction, with an apparent activation energy of 117 kJ/mol. Melt temperature, melt residence time, melt environment, and drying environment have all been found to affect the degradation of PET. Analysis of inherent-viscosity kinetic data has been carried out, utilizing existing theories based on a random chain scission mechanism. Activation energies of 117 and 159 kJ/mol have been calculated for air-dried and vacuum dried samples respectively.
Additional Material:
15 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pen.760241311
