Graft copolymerization of p-acryloyloxybenzoic acid onto polypropylene

---

Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Kimya Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2006

Öğrenci: BUKET IŞIK

Danışman: İSMAİL TEOMAN TİNCER

Özet:

Acryloyloxybenzoic acid (ABA) was prepared by the condensation reaction of acryloyl chloride with p-hydroxybenzoic acid in alkaline medium. The polymerization and grafting of ABA onto Polypropylene were anticipated to occur simultaneously in melt mixing at high temperature. The monomer showed liquid crystalline property. For a better dispersion of ABA in PP before graft copolymerization, a masterbatch of 50-50 (by weight) low density polyethylene + ABA was prepared, which was then used for 5, 10, 15 % ABA + PP mixtures in the Brabender Plasti Corder. Furthermore, these compositions were reprocessed at the same temperature in the molten state. Compression molding was used to prepare films for characterization experiments at 200 ºC under 15000 psi for approximately 3-5 minutes. The graft copolymers were characterized by several techniques; DSC, FTIR, MFI, SEM and mechanical testing. In DSC thermograms the crystallization of PP was seen at approximately 160ºC. An endothermic peak was also assigned to grafted PABA at 280ºC . The incorporation of ABA onto the PP backbone as a graft copolymer (PABA-g-PP) at low percentages results in a possible rearrangement, where tensile strength values increased, while strain decreased. The grafting goes through thermal radicalic mechanism. MFI values were found to increase from 8.7 to 16.35 g/10 min at 10 wt % ABA, then decreased to 10.57 g/10 min at 15 wt % ABA. It is most likely that the presence of PABA produced easy orientational flow up to 10 % of ABA, but at 15 % ABA addition caused a slight decrease in MFI. The tensile test specimens were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope. None of the three samples exhibited phase separation. This observation confirms that the graft copolymerization occurrs in a homogenous manner onto PP. The brittle nature of material is observed at all three compositions.