Characterization of Erucamide Profiles in Multilayer Linear Low-Density Polyethylene and Propylene-Ethylene Copolymer Films Using Synchrotron-Based FT-IR Microspectroscopy

Abstract

The diffusion of erucamide in single layer polymer films has been monitored previously using FT-IR microspectroscopy [Appl. Spectrosc., 53, 11 (1999)]. This research extends that work to multilayer films. In particular, erucamide migration is characterized in press-laminated bilayer and coextruded trilayer linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) films and also coextruded bilayer films of LLDPE and a propylene-ethylene copolymer (PEC). Results in bilayers and trilayers demonstrate that the erucamide prefers to migrate to a film surface rather than into an adjacent layer, even in the presence of steep concentration gradients at layer–layer boundaries. The same behavior was observed for bilayers of LLDPE and PEC where it was anticipated that erucamide may diffuse into the less dense PEC layer. Attenuated total reflectance FT-IR was also used to confirm that little or no erucamide diffused through an additive-deficient layer to reach a film–air interface in a bilayer structure. However, results clearly showed erucamide migration from a core layer through additive-deficient skin layers to reach the surfaces of a trilayer film.

Stabiliser diffusion in long-term pressure tested polypropylene pipes analysed by IR microscopy

“…We have previously shown [9] that infrared (IR) microscopy offers a possibility to investigate the distribution of the phenolic antioxidant Irganox 1010 across the walls of unaged PP-R pipes. However, despite its widespread use in qualitative analysis only a few examples of quantitative IR microscopy exist [10][11][12]. In this study we want to use IR microscopy to obtain quantitative data about primary stabiliser migration during hydrostatic pressure tests of PP-R pipes.…”

“…x: real argument; m: integer; G(z): gamma function n ¼ À Dd=d Dl=l (9) n: Poisson's ratio; d: thickness; l: length; Dd ¼ d À d 0 3ðs; TÞ ¼ s EðTÞ þ aðTÞ,DT (10) 3: strain; s: hoop stress; T: temperature of water bath; DT ¼ T À T 0 , T 0 ¼ 0 C; E(T): Young's modulus; a(T): thermal expansion coefficient; E(T) and a(T) were taken from [33] y ¼ À0:374 þ 0:125e 109:3x (11) …”

Optimization of polyethylene/binder/polyamide extrusion blow‐molded films. III. Slippability improvement with fatty acid amides

“…The effect of such additives on the slippability is, however, rarely reported in the scientific literature 1, 15, 17. The published results on this topic tend to show that the efficiency of slip agents may be reduced by the presence of polar adjacent layers, which favor their migration toward the structure inner part 15, 17–20. The migration kinetics then essentially depend on the concentration gradient, the polarity of the different layers, and the temperature 15, 17.…”

Selective migration in polyethylene/rubbery particles blends during capillary flow

“…For this purpose, spectroscopic methods are most relevant. For example, Sankhe et al [11][12][13] used FTIR microspectroscopy to map the concentration profiles of additives that diffuse in coextruded multilayer films of industrially relevant thicknesses.…”