Erucamide volatility

Crompton [770] has described extraction of scraped TLC spots (Cyasorb UV531 and Ionol CP), followed by off-line IR analysis of KBr discs. Chalmers et al. [752] have used off-line TLC-DRIFT for extracted PP/(Irganox 1330/1010, Topanol OC, erucamide). Volatility of Topanol OC on the particle surfaces of the KC1 substrate highlights a limitation of the off-line TLC-DRIFTS technique. 

Nonvolatile compounds cannot be analysed unless pyrolysis or derivatisation converts them to a condition amenable to GC. Derivatisation GC (or LC) has been used for several components such as erucamide (imidi-sation for volatility), fatty amines (aromatic amidation for UV detectability), and polyethylene oxides (esterification for both volatility and detectability) [178]. The surface concentration of erucamide on extruded LLDPE films was determined quantitatively by surface washings with ether, followed by evaporation, dissolution... 

However, erucamides are more heat stable than oleamides, more resistant to oxidation, and the former create fewer volatiles during processing. 

Erucamide is not favored by some producers and converters of polypropylene film because it is relatively volatile and causes plate out on processing equipment, thereby causing a clean-up problem. Some producers prefer to use behenamide as the slip agent. Erucamide and behenamide appear to perform substantially equally well, but behenamide is less volatile and therefore films containing behenamide are easier to handle during processing since the behenamide does not escape and plate out on the processing equipment. ... 

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