DEHYDROCHLORINATION BEHAVIOR OF FLEXIBLE PVC PELLETS IN NAOH SOLUTIONS AT ELEVATED-TEMPERATURE

Flexible PVC pellets were treated at 150-250 degrees C in 0-7M NaOH so lutions for 0-12 h. The degree of dehydrochlorination of flexible PVC pellets increased with increasing reaction temperature and was about 1 00% at 250 degrees C over 5 h. A porous char, 2-16 mu m in pore size, was produced. The dehydrochlorination of PVC in the flexible PVC was p roceeded by a first-order reaction in alkaline solution. The maximum r ate of the dehydrochlorination for flexible PVC was reached at 5M NaOH . The apparent activation energies were 22-35 kcal/mol in 1-7M NaOH fo r flexible PVC. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.