TY - JOUR

T1 - ESC resistance of commercial grade polycarbonates during exposure to butter and related chemicals

A1 - Kjellander,Carina Koch

A1 - Nielsen,Tenna B

A1 - Ghanbari-Siahkali,Afshin

A1 - Kingshott,Peter

A1 - Hansen,Charles M.

A1 - Almdal,Kristoffer

AU - Kjellander,Carina Koch

AU - Nielsen,Tenna B

AU - Ghanbari-Siahkali,Afshin

AU - Kingshott,Peter

AU - Hansen,Charles M.

AU - Almdal,Kristoffer

PB - Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Three commercial grades of polycarbonates (Lexan (R) 144, Lexan (R) 104 and Makrolon Rx1805) were studied with respect to resistance to environmental stress cracking (ESC) when exposed to butter and related chemicals. The polycarbonates (PCs) were extensively characterised to determine whether differences in ESC resistance could be related to their structural or chemical properties. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealed that Makrolon Rx:1805 contains a low molar mass material characterised as poly(propylene glycol)p, which was confirmed by ATR-FTIR and H-1 NMR. Some "non-absorbing" chemicals, such as butter, cause the PCs to be less resistant to ESC under stress. The reason for this is that these chemicals and the PCs have sufficiently similar Hansen solubility parameters to allow surface conformational changes even though absorption is non-existent or extremely small. ATR-FTIR was used to detect changes in molecular structure in the PC surfaces. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - Three commercial grades of polycarbonates (Lexan (R) 144, Lexan (R) 104 and Makrolon Rx1805) were studied with respect to resistance to environmental stress cracking (ESC) when exposed to butter and related chemicals. The polycarbonates (PCs) were extensively characterised to determine whether differences in ESC resistance could be related to their structural or chemical properties. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealed that Makrolon Rx:1805 contains a low molar mass material characterised as poly(propylene glycol)p, which was confirmed by ATR-FTIR and H-1 NMR. Some "non-absorbing" chemicals, such as butter, cause the PCs to be less resistant to ESC under stress. The reason for this is that these chemicals and the PCs have sufficiently similar Hansen solubility parameters to allow surface conformational changes even though absorption is non-existent or extremely small. ATR-FTIR was used to detect changes in molecular structure in the PC surfaces. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

U2 - 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2008.05.011

DO - 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2008.05.011

JO - Polymer Degradation and Stability

JF - Polymer Degradation and Stability

SN - 0141-3910

IS - 8

VL - 93

SP - 1486

EP - 1495

ER -