Molecular Characterization of Polypropylene Heterophasic Cop by Fractionation Techniques

Rafael A. Garcia; Baudilio Coto; Maria-Teresa Exposito; Inmaculada Suarez; Almudena Fernandez-Fernandez; Susana Caveda

Macromolecular Research, Vol.19, No.8, 778-788, August, 2011

DOI10.1007/s13233-011-0811-2 Export Citation

Molecular Characterization of Polypropylene Heterophasic Cop by Fractionation Techniques

Rafael A. Garcia^†, Baudilio Coto¹, Maria-Teresa Exposito, Inmaculada Suarez¹, Almudena Fernandez-Fernandez¹, and Susana Caveda²

Chemical and Environmental Technology Department, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipan s/n, 28933, Mostoles, Spain
¹Chemical and Energy Technology Department, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipan s/n, 28933, Mostoles, Spain
²Repsol Centro Tecnologico, Carretera A-5, km 18, Mostoles, Spain

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Molecular microstructure, thermal properties and morphology of three polypropylene heterophasic copolymers (PHC) with similar comonomer content were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), analytical and preparative temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C NMR). These results indicate that there are no differences in solution and thermal properties between unfractionated copolymers. Nevertheless, a physical fractionation by crystallization of these copolymers was developed to carry out a detailed study. Four fractions at different temperatures were collected. The results showed that the PHC’s copolymers are composed by polypropylene, ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) and, crystallisable sequences with different propylene and/or ethylene comonomers distribution. Despite the similar thermo-chemical properties shown by the raw PHC’s copolymers, the characterization of fractions displayed significant differences between them. These results suggest that the fractionation by crystallization allows the different components in which the PHC’s copolymers are based to be distinguished clearly, and obtain a more comprehensive sense of the molecular structure characterization.

Keywords:polypropylene heterophasic copolymers;molecular microstructure;multi-phase structure;polymer fractionation.

[References]

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Caballero MJ, Suarez I, Coto B, van Grieken R, Monrabal B, Macromol. Symp., 57, 122 (2007)
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Poon BC, Dias P, Ansems P, Chum SP, Hiltner A, Baer E, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 104(1), 489 (2007)
Chien JCW, He D, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 29, 1585 (1991)
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Virkkunen V, Laari P, Pitkanen P, Sundholm F, Polymer, 45(9), 3091 (2004)
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Kakugo M, Macromolecules, 15, 1150 (1982)
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Zhang DH, Sheng J, Xie ZM, Li JS, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 19, 141 (2002)
Soares JB, Hamielec AE, Polymer, 36(8), 1639 (1995)
Ito J, Mitani K, Mizutani Y, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 46, 1235 (1992)
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Matos M, Sanchez J, Jimenez MC, Rev. Latinoam. Metal. Mater., 25, 31 (2005)
Heikens D, Hoen N, Barentsen W, J. Polym. Sci., 62, 309 (1978)
Soares JB, Hamielec AE, Polymer, 37(20), 4607 (1996)
Xu J, Eur. Polym. J., 34, 431 (1998)
Kioka M, Makio H, Mizuno A, Kashiwa N, Polymer, 35(3), 580 (1994)
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[Referenced By]

[1] Kaminsky W, Predel M, Sadiki A, Polym. Degrad. Stabil., 85, 1045 (2004)

[2] APME, The compelling facts about plastics: an analysis of plastics production, demand and recovery for 2005 in Europe, Plastics Europe, Brussels, 2007.

[3] APME, Annual Report 2007, Safeguarding the planet by reaching out, Plastics Europe, Brussels, 2007.

[4] Caballero MJ, Suarez I, Coto B, van Grieken R, Monrabal B, Macromol. Symp., 57, 122 (2007)

[5] Alamo RG, VanderHart DL, Nyden MR, Mandelkern L, Macromolecules, 33(16), 6094 (2000)

[6] Poon BC, Dias P, Ansems P, Chum SP, Hiltner A, Baer E, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 104(1), 489 (2007)

[7] Chien JCW, He D, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 29, 1585 (1991)

[8] Doshev P, Lohse G, Henning S, Krumova M, Heuvelsland A, Michler G, Radusch HJ, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 101(5), 2825 (2006)

[9] Li RB, Zhang XQ, Zhao Y, Hu XT, Zhao XT, Wang DJ, Polymer, 50(21), 5124 (2009)

[10] Meyers RA, Handbook of Petrochemicals Production Processes, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2005.

[11] Galli P, Vecellio G, Prog. Polym. Sci, 26, 1287 (2001)

[12] Urdampilleta I, Gonzalez A, Iruin JJ, de la Cal JC, Asua JM, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 45(12), 4178 (2006)

[13] Dong Q, Wang XF, Fu ZS, Xu JT, Fan ZQ, Polymer, 48(20), 5905 (2007)

[14] Li RB, Zhang XQ, Zhao Y, Hu XT, Zhao XT, Wang DJ, Polymer, 50(21), 5124 (2009)

[15] Mirabella FM, Polymer, 34, 1729 (1993)

[16] Zacur R, Goizueta G, Capiati N, Polym. Eng. Sci., 40(8), 1921 (2000)

[17] Kamfjord T, Stori A, Polymer, 42(7), 2767 (2001)

[18] Pires M, Mauler RS, Liberman SA, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 92(4), 2155 (2004)

[19] Virkkunen V, Laari P, Pitkanen P, Sundholm F, Polymer, 45(9), 3091 (2004)

[20] Viville P, Daoust D, Jonas AM, Nysten B, Legras R, Dupire M, Polymer, 42, 1933 (2001)

[21] Lodefier P, Jonas AM, Legras R, Macromolecules, 32(21), 7135 (1999)

[22] Randall JC, J. Macromol. Sci.-Rev. Macromol. Chem. Phys., 29, 201 (1989)

[23] Kakugo M, Macromolecules, 15, 1150 (1982)

[24] Isasi JR, Mandelkern L, Galante MJ, Alamo RG, J. Polym. Sci. B: Polym. Phys., 37(4), 323 (1999)

[25] Zhang DH, Sheng J, Xie ZM, Li JS, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 19, 141 (2002)

[26] Soares JB, Hamielec AE, Polymer, 36(8), 1639 (1995)

[27] Ito J, Mitani K, Mizutani Y, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 46, 1235 (1992)

[28] Voskresenskii VA, Orlova EM, Abramova EI, Prokhorova NS, Russ. Chem. Rev., 40, 78 (1971)

[29] Exposito MT, Synthesis and Characterization of Ethylene/Styrene Copolymers Using Single Site Catalyst Systems, Ph.D.Thesis, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 2006.

[30] Matos M, Sanchez J, Jimenez MC, Rev. Latinoam. Metal. Mater., 25, 31 (2005)

[31] Heikens D, Hoen N, Barentsen W, J. Polym. Sci., 62, 309 (1978)

[32] Soares JB, Hamielec AE, Polymer, 37(20), 4607 (1996)

[33] Xu J, Eur. Polym. J., 34, 431 (1998)

[34] Kioka M, Makio H, Mizuno A, Kashiwa N, Polymer, 35(3), 580 (1994)

[35] Horvath Z, Sajo IE, Stoll K, Menyhard A, Varga J, Express Polym. Lett., 4, 101 (2010)