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The thermal decomposition of dicumyl peroxide in polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol
Author(s) -
Rowe P. D.,
Thomas D. K.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1963.070070205
Subject(s) - polypropylene glycol , polyethylene glycol , radical , polypropylene , polymer chemistry , peroxide , hydrogen atom abstraction , chemistry , hydrogen peroxide , solvent , decomposition , photochemistry , materials science , organic chemistry
The changes in solvent resistance and solution viscosity of polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol after heating with dicumyl peroxide at 140°C. are consistent with crosslinking of the former and degradation of the latter. Analytical work showed that in both cases all of the peroxide decomposed could be accounted for acetophenone and cumyl alcohol. In the case of polyethylene glycol, crosslinking results from abstraction of secondary hydrogen atoms and dimerization of the resulting radicals; in the case of polypropylene glycol abstraction of tertiary hydrogen atoms leads to radicals which break down by scission at a CO bond to give a ketone and a more stable radical. This latter process proceeds with an efficiency of unity.