Abstract
The mechanochemical reaction of polyethylene was investigated at room temperature up to 15 kbar static pressure by using a self-made high pressure apparatus capable of generating simultaneous shear deformation. All shearing curves reached an equilibrium value after the gradual increase of shear-strength. This tendency was not observed in the cases of polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene reported in the previous paper. From the small divergence of equilibrium shear-strength data and the changes in molecular weight and its distribution, it was concluded that the mechanochemical reaction of polyethylene took place by selective breaking of longer chain molecules and the molecular weight distribution became sharp as the reaction proceeded. However, the mechanochemical reaction rate was considerably slow in comparison with the other polymer materials reported previously.
