Degradation of Polymers by High Frequency Oscillating Ions

II. Influence of Degree of Polymerization on the Degradation Reaction

Abstract

Fractionated PMMA in acetone (concn.: 200 mg/35 cc) was degraded by the ion vibration between two co-axial-electrodes.
Salt of mono-chloro acetic acid and aniline was used (concn.: 10 mg/35 cc) as ion vibrator.
Voltage between the electrodes were 400 or 600 V and frequency were 11.1 or 12.8 Mc. Results obtained were as follows:
(1) Degradating rate dn/dC was expressed as
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(2) Above results suggests that the energy of the dielectrical a-absorption have some contribution to the degradation reaction.
(3) Apparent activation energy of degradation was 2-5 kcal/C-C (mol). This value was so small compared with C-C bond energy. So it seems that dielectrical β-absorption of side chain may contribute as rotational energy of C-C bond, where n is number of C-C bond ruptured; C is coulomb passed ; P is degree of polymerization and κ, α, β are constant.