Bharat I. Chaudhary

Solubilities of Nitrogen, Isobutane and Carbon Dioxide in Polyethylene:

This paper describes the use of a novel method for measuring gas solubilities in polymers. It involves the use of a magnetic suspension device, an instrument with good mass sensitivity and short equilibration times that is able to operate in relatively hostile conditions, At similar temperatures and pressures, isobutane was significantly more soluble in polyethylene than carbon dioxide. The solubilities of both gases increased as the pressure was raised and decreased with increasing temperatures. The effect of temperature on gas solubility was smaller with carbon dioxide than with isobutane. Both isobutane and carbon dioxide were substantially more soluble in polyethylene than nitrogen.

Extruded non-crosslinked foams made from ethylene-styrene interpolymers and blends with polyethylene

Ethylene-styrene Interpolymers (ESI) are a new class of polymers made by copolymerisation of ethylene and styrene monomers using INSITE® Technology, the patented constrained geometry single site catalysts and proprietary solution process of The Dow Chemical Company. The tradename of the Interpolymers is INDEX®. Foams with novel and unique properties have been made by expanding these polymers using physical blowing agents. This paper describes the properties of foams made from Interpolymers and blends with polyethylene.

Radical-mediated graft modification of polyethylene models with vinyltrimethoxysilane: a theoretical analysis

The grafting of vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) onto low-density polyethylene is an important commercial process for the production of crosslinked polymer for use in the wire and cable industry. Experimentally, it has been reported that the reaction of VTMS with low-molecular-weight model hydrocarbons (polyethylene mimics) produce a variety of grafted products. While reasonable mechanisms have been proposed to rationalize the formation of this array of grafted products, the regio- and stereochemistries of the products as well as the energetics associated with each of the proposed steps in the reaction sequence are not known. In order to address these issues, a density function theory (B3LYP/6.31G*) analysis for each of the proposed steps in the grafting process is now reported.