The Effect of Dialkyl Peroxide Crosslinking on the Properties of LLDPE and UHMWPE

Peroxide has been considered a chemical agent that can be used to tune the properties of polymeric materials. This research evaluated the influence of different concentrations of dialkyl peroxides on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The neat polymer, as well as those with the addition of 1% and 2% by mass of dialkyl peroxides, were subjected to compression molding and immersion in water for 1 h, under controlled temperatures of 90 °C. The values of the gel content found in the samples indicated that the addition of peroxide to the LLDPE and to the UHMWPE promoted the formation of a reticulated network. The structure obtained by the crosslinking led to less reorganization of the chains during the crystallization process, resulting in the formation of imperfect crystals and, consequently, in the reduction in melting temperatures, crystallization and enthalpy. The mechanical properties were altered with the presence of the crosslinker. The polymers presented had predominant characteristics of a ductile material, with the occurrence of crazing with an increased peroxide content.

Ultrasound-Assisted Green Synthesis of Dialkyl Peroxides under Phase-Transfer Catalysis Conditions

The dialkyl peroxides, which contain a thermally unstable oxygen–oxygen bond, are an important source of radical initiators and cross-linking agents. New efficient and green methods for their synthesis are still being sought. Herein, ultrasound-assisted synthesis of dialkyl peroxides from alkyl hydroperoxides and alkyl bromides in the presence of an aqueous solution of an inorganic base was systematically studied under phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) conditions. The process run in a tri-liquid system in which polyethylene glycol as a phase-transfer catalyst formed a third liquid phase between the organic and inorganic phases. The use of ultrasound provided high yields of organic peroxides (70–99%) in significantly shorter reaction times (1.5 h) in comparison to reaction with magnetic stirring (5.0 h). In turn, conducting the reaction in the tri-liquid PTC system allowed easy separation of the catalyst and its multiple use without significant loss of activity.