Oxidation of ether linked thermoplastics

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Abstract
Studies have been made of the heat and light induced oxidation of ether linked commercial thermoplastics using a variety of analytical methods. Our studies on polyoxymethylene, polyphenylene oxide, and its blends with polystyrene are discussed here. Comparisons of heat and light stability are made with thermoplastics previously reported.Heat aging of polyoxymethylene causes a decrease in elongation and weight as well as volatile product formation and changes in the infrared spectrum indicative of chain scission. Exposure to ultraviolet light accelerates the oxidative reaction. Polyoxymethylene copolymer is more thermally stable but both polymers are rapidly degraded during light aging.Investigation of the heat and light induced oxidation of polyphenylene oxide shows that oxidation, in either case, leads to a crosslinking reaction resulting in embrittlement of the polymer. The process is difficult to retard. However, oxygen uptake results indicate that blends of polyphenylene oxide and polystyrene can be suitably stabilized against thermal oxidation. Preliminary results indicate that oxidation of these blends proceeds by a chain scission mechanism.

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