Rheological Analysis for Metallocenic Propylene Homopolymers and Copolymers Irradiated under Different Conditions

ANGEL J. SATTI; JORGE A. RESSIA; MARÍA L. CERRADA; NOEMÍ A. ANDREUCETTI; ENRIQUE M. VALLÉS

Bahia Blanca

Simposio; Simposio Argentino de Polimeros 2011; 2011

PLAPIQUI (UNS-CONICET)

Propylene homopolymers and copolymers made with metallocenic catalysts systems have many advantages. They show well defined structures, homogeneous comonomer distribution, the desired tacticity and narrow polydispersity (PD). The single site properties of metallocene catalysts allow polypropylene synthesis to incorporate different kind of 1-olefins with certain control of the copolymer microstructure. As a result, short chain branches of a desired length are incorporated in the growing chain, allowing the synthesis of a great variety of copolymers with a wide range of potential applications (Brintzinger However, a known way to achieve changes in the polypropylene structure is the treatment with high energy radiation. Up to now, there is only scarce data reported for irradiated metallocenic propylene polymers. This work study three different methods: electron beam (EB), air gamma and vacuum gamma radiation, in order to enlighten the behavior in which the different irradiation processes over these polymers takes place. The inclination for scissioning, branching and crosslinking of the irradiated material was analyzed by means of their rheological response