Jm. Stegge et Mw. Urban, Stratification processes in thermoplastic olefins monitored by step-scan photoacoustic FT-IR spectroscopy, POLYMER, 42(12), 2001, pp. 5479-5484
In this study we utilized step-scan photoacoustic Fourier transform TR (SS-
PA-FT-IR) spectroscopy to examine surface/interfacial proper ties of thermo
plastic olefins (TPOs). This approach, combined with 2D FT-IR correlation a
nalysis, allowed us to determine stratification processes in TPOs. These st
udies showed that the talc and polypropylene (PP) crystalline phase in TPO
stratifies within the first 6-30 mum from the surface. Specifically, the PP
crystalline phase exists at about 6.5 mum from the surface and its content
diminishes at 7.1 mum, followed by reappearance around 11.3 mum, and becom
es more prevalent upon approaching the bulk of TPO. Talc concentration leve
ls show a similar pattern of change with depth across the interface, althou
gh absolute concentration levels differ from those of crystalline PP. These
studies also demonstrated that SS-PA-FT-IR is a powerful tool in surface a
nalysis, in particular for surface/interfacial analysis of multi-component
polymeric systems. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.