Reactivities of polystyrene and polypropylene toward t-butoxyl radical. Effects of molecular weight, solvent, and temperature

Abstract

The effects of molecular weight, solvent, and temperature on the reactivities of polystyrene, polypropylene, and several simple model compounds toward t-butoxyl radical in benzene solution have been measured. The reactivity of polystyrene decreased with increasing molecular weight. When solubility was decreased by addition of acetic acid, the relative reactivities of polystyrene and polypropylene decreased significantly more than those of simple hydrocarbons. On the other hand, the reactivities of the polymers, especially of polystyrene, increased more than simple hydrocarbons with increasing temperature. The results are interpreted in terms of the coiled configuration of polymers in solution.