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Use of a sequential extraction technique to determine the MWD of bulk UHMWPE
Author(s) -
Kusy R. P.,
Whitley J. Q.
Publication year - 1986
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.1986.070320337
Subject(s) - decalin , molar mass distribution , viscometer , intrinsic viscosity , materials science , solvent , polyethylene , viscosity , extraction (chemistry) , analytical chemistry (journal) , theta solvent , thermodynamics , polymer , chromatography , composite material , chemistry , solvent effects , organic chemistry , physics , catalysis
The molecular weight distribution (MWD) of bulk ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was determined by an increasing temperature sequential extraction technique. Using decahydronapthalene (decalin) as the solvent, 5 g samples of UHMWPE were fractionated stepwise from room temperature to 190°C in 10°C increments. Results via high temperature capillary viscometry show that intrinsic viscosity ([η]) ranges from 12.0 to 37.0 dL/g or that the viscosity average molecular weight ( M̄ v ) ranges from approximately 1.6 to 7.4 × 10 6 . When the integral distribution is plotted against M̄ v on logarithmic probability graph paper, a straight line (i.e., a Wesslau distribution) results. Although the present methodology is tedious, many previous problems which have led to degradation are overcome by this technique.