Mechanism and Quantification of Polyethylene Discoloration

摘要

The discoloration of polyolefins has been extensively studied and published in the open literature. The key mechanism of discoloration includes oxidation of polyethylene and/or oxidation of hindered phenolics used as antioxidants by oxygen or nitroxide pollutants from hydrocarbon combustion (gas fading), e.g. internal combustion engines, methane or propane fired heating systems. This report will cover an open literature review of the discoloration mechanism and our research on the estimation of gas fading rate during storage with a comparison between two lab scale test methods in polyethylene using the kinetics of the reaction between commonly used hindered phenols and nitroxide.