Radiotracer Studies of Carbon Black Surface Interactions with Organic Systems. I. Experimental Approach and Initial Results from Chemisorption and Vinyl Polymerization Studies

Radiotracer techniques have been applied to the study of interactions of carbon black surface functional groups with two chosen organic systems. The basic reaction mechanisms demonstrated in this study may have implications in elastomer reinforcement. Direct radiochemical evidence supports the conclusions of Hallum and Drushel (based on less direct polarographic data) that surface quinonic groups exhibit hydrogen abstraction activity toward tertiary hydrogens in paraffinic hydrocarbons. Studies on the system carbon black and styrene using tritium radiotracer have provided direct evidence that phenolic hydrogens participate in the polymerization acceleration and graft polymer formation reaction and are transferred to the growing polystyrene chains as postulated by Donnet. Several methods have been developed for specifically labelling certain oxygenated functional groups on the carbon surface with tritium and for tritium labelling carbon black in aromatic hydrogen positions. The techniques developed in this work and the basic reaction mechanisms derived will permit this investigation to be extended into a radiochemical study of carbon black surface interactions with elastomer related systems of interest to the rubber industry.