Formation of hydroxyl groups in polymers

The alkoxy polymer radicals (PO ) react with other molecules in the polymer and abstract hydrogen atoms. Along the polymer molecule, hydroxyl groups are formed and a new macro-radical results from this reaction  

The production of hydroxyl groups has been shown by numerous investigations [Refs. 3, 7, 30, 122, 125, 126, 278, 325, 530, 544] with the aid of IR spectroscopy. A typical absorption band of hydroxyl groups in polyethylene at 3550 cm-1 and in polypropylene at 3400 cm-1 is 

This type of chain ending by hydroxyl groups is, however, rare. 

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