Thermooxidative Destruction of Solvent During Production of High-Strength Fibers of Ultrahigh-Molecular Polyethylene (UHMPE) by Gel-Formation Method

Abstract

Changes in the chemical composition of the solvent (Vaseline oil) as a result of its thermooxidative destruction were detected and investigated by UV and IR spectroscopy. It was found that an absorption band at ~270 nm, corresponding to the chromophoric C=O and C=C groups, appears in the electronic spectrum and increases in intensity during thermal destruction of Vaseline oil while absorption bands at 1720 and 1740 cm^-1, due to the appearance of terminal acid and aldehyde groups respectively, appear in the IR spectrum. The kinetics of the accumulation of chromophoric groups in relation to the experimental temperature was investigated, and a correlation was established between the intensity of the color of the solvent and the concentration of chromophoric groups.