Elemental Analysis of Polymers

Elements occurring in polymers and copolymers can be divided into three categories  

Another method for avoiding losses of metals during ashing is the low-temperature controlled decomposition method using active oxygen. This has been studied in connection with the determination of trace metals in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate [62]. 

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Pittman, J. F.T. and Nakazawa, S., 1984. Finite element analysis of polymer processing operations. In Pittman, J.F. T., Zienkiewicz, O.C., Wood, R.D. and Alexander, J. M. (eds), Num,erical Analysis of Forming Processes, Wiley, Chichester. 

Pittman, J.F.T. and Nakazawa, S., 1984. Finite element analysis of polymer processing... 

Applications A limited number of papers refer to the use of AAS in relation to polymer/additive deformulation. Elemental analysis of polymers and rubbers by AAS may be carried out after dissolution in an organic solvent (Table 8.21), after oxidative wet digestion (Table 8.12), after dry ashing (Table 8.22) or directly in the solid state (Table 8.23). 

Matsuoka, T. and Takahashi, H., Finite Element Analysis of Polymer Melt Flow in Profile Extrusion Coating Die, Int. Polym. Proc., 3,183 (1991)... 

This mechanism could be demonstrated via nitrogen elemental analysis of polymers and copolymers treated with amine acid salts and thermally cured (Table II and Experimental). In a control experiment, ammonium acetate was added In excess to a vinyl acetate/ethylene emulsion copolymer without amlnoplast crosslinker to confirm that essentially all of the ammonia volatilized from the unfunctlonallzed polymer during cure (much poorer volatilization was observed If NH4CI was used In place of NH4OAC). 

Qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of polymers can be carried out by the conventional methods used for low-molecular-weight compounds. So a detailed description is not needed here. Elemental analysis or determination of functional groups is especially valuable for copolymers or chemically modified polymers. For homopolymers where the elemental analysis should agree with that of the monomer, deviations from the theoretical values are an indication of side reactions during polymerization. However, they can also sometimes be caused by inclusion or adsorption of solvent or precipitant, or, in commercial polymers, to the presence of added stabilizers. The preparation of the sample for... 

D. Roylance, Use of Penalty Finite Element Analysis of Polymer Melt Processing, Polym. Eng. Sci., 20, 1029-1034 (1980). 

Repeating Unit Composition Elemental Analysis of Polymers Polymer Melting Point, °C ... 

In accordance with the data of elemental microanalysis, MN-200 resin contains 2.5% oxygen when calculated as O%=100 - (C%-F H% + Cl%). Interestingly, this quantity is markedly smaller than that reported elsewhere [98, 99]. We have to remember, however, that the elemental analysis of polymers, especially highly crosslinked polymers, is never as exact as that of low molecular weight compounds. Moreover, the determination of oxygen in the sorbent would require a thorough elimination of adsorbed water and air. 

Polystyrene-supported iodosylbenzene (22) (loading of -lO groups up to 1.50 mmol g" ) has been prepared by a solvent-free reaction of poly[(diacetoxyiodo)styrene] (4) with sodium hydroxide (Scheme 5.11) [22]. Elemental analysis of polymer 22 indicates that the -lO groups are partially hydrated as shown in structure 23. This resin has been successfully used for efficient oxidation of a diverse collection of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones in the presence of BF3-Et20. Reagent 22 can also be employed as efficient co-catalyst in combination with RuCls in the catalytic oxidation of alcohols and aromatic hydrocarbons, respectively, to the corresponding carboxylic acids and ketones using Oxone as the stoichiometric oxidant [22]. 

Resano, M., Garcfa-Ruiz, E., Vanhaecke, E (2005) Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-dynamic reaction cell-mass spectrometry for the multi-element analysis of polymers. Spectrochimica Acta Part B, 60,1472-1481. 

Ion exchange is probably the most widely used IC method for the elemental analysis of polymers. Although the other IC techniques are useful for several different applications, they are not covered in the scope of this section. 

Major industrial areas as the cement, ferro, non-ferro, petrochemical, textile or food industry, dispose of numerous Certified Reference Materials (organic and inorganic). For example, only the ferro-industry has already more than 300 CRMs and RMs listed in COMAR, the international database (jointly operated by LNE, BAM and NPL) which lists more than 10285 RMs (as of June 1998) of more than 400 producers [42]. Notwithstanding the size of the polymer industry (total production capacity for commodity thermoplastics is equal to over 140 Mt/a, of which about 50% of polyolefinic nature) it is surprising to note the scarcity of suitable polymer reference materials for elemental and molecular analysis. CRMs made from a polymer material and designed for molecular analysis are lacking totally, while those for elemental analysis are rare. In fact, until quite recently, for elemental analysis of polymers, only one set of four CRMs did exist, namely... 

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