Research and development of a process for the synthesis of polypropylene with high melt resistance (HMS-PP) in presence of multifunctional liquid polymers

• Grant number: 02/13070-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: December 01, 2003
• End date: July 31, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Harumi Otaguro
• Grantee: Harumi Otaguro
• Company: Embrarad Empresa Brasileira de Radiações Ltda
• City: Cotia

Abstract

Isotatic polypropylene (iPP) is one of the materials with outstanding use in the polymer commodities market owing to its special characteristics such as low density (a factor which accounts for its better cost/benefit relationship) and, principally, low cost of production. Nevertheless, iPP displays a low melt strength, which prevents it being used in various applications in which elongational flow is dominant. For example, applications of coverings extrusions, of thermoforming free of residual tensions, of blowing of larger parts, as well as the production of low density foams. With the aim of structurally modifying iPP so it will display a high melt resistance, this project proposes as methodology to irradiate, essentially with gamma radiation, pure iPP with additive in the presence of multifunctional liquid polymers of the acrylate and methacrylate families. These monomers will be responsible for the control of the ramification or reticulation in the polymer. The choice of these monomers is due to their solubility, high rate of reaction and availability on the market; the range of irradiation dose used will be around 10 to 20 kGy (kilogray). The choice is due to the fact that these values will have competitive prices on the Brazilian market and also because of the excellent results obtained with the production of HMS-PP (high melt strength polypropylene) - an easier plastic product to produce and recycle - using acetylene gas as the multifunctional agent. With this development, it is hoped to obtain a methodology or alternative process for the production of HMS-PP which will make it more viable from the economic point of view and safer from the occupational and environmental point of view. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

YOSHIGA, ADRIANA; OTAGURO, HARUMI; PARRA, DUCLERC FERNANDES; LIMA, LUIS FILIPE C. P.; LUGAO, ADEMAR B.. Controlled degradation and crosslinking of polypropylene induced by gamma radiation and acetylene. POLYMER BULLETIN, v. 63, n. 3, p. 397-409, SEP 2009. (02/13070-2)