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Chemical changes in engineering thermoplastics
Author(s) -
Bolon Donald A.,
Irwin Patricia C.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
makromolekulare chemie. macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 0258-0322
DOI - 10.1002/masy.19920570120
Subject(s) - polycarbonate , hydrolysis , caustic (mathematics) , phenol , materials science , humidity , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , mathematics , physics , engineering , mathematical physics , thermodynamics
Parts molded from reground BPA polycarbonate (PC) resin recovered from used objects do not always give the desired physical properties as parts molded from virgin resin. This loss of properties appears due to a surface hydrolysis of the PC which results in a reduction in molecular weight and formation of bis‐phenol‐A (BPA). The hydrolysis appears to be aided by exposure to uv‐light and humidity. If the surface of the PC is washed with caustic solution, BPA and low MW oligomers are removed and many of the physical properties of the PC are restored.