OXIDATION PROFILES OF POLYAMIDE-6,6 STUDIED BY IMAGING CHEMILUMINESCENCE AND FTIR

Injection moulded test specimens of polyamide 6,6 have been subjected to ageing in ambient atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 100 to 13 0 degrees C for different times. Skin-core oxidation was observed and evaluated by infrared spectroscopy in terms of carbonyl index depth pr ofiles and by imaging chemiluminescence as peroxide depth profiles. Th e oxidation depth profiles determined by the two techniques showed goo d agreement with respect to ageing time and temperature. The oxidation depth was shown to decrease with increasing ageing temperature. The r esults clearly indicate a diffusion-controlled oxidation process. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited.