Publications
Acceleration factors for oxidative aging of polymeric materials by oxygen detection
Three methods that were used to measure the chemical changes associated with oxidative degradation of polymeric materials are presented. The first method is based on the nuclear activation of {sup 18}O in an elastomer that was thermally aged in an {sup 18}O{sub 2} atmosphere. Second, the alcohol groups in a thermally aged elastomer were derivatized with trifluoroacetic anhydride and their concentration measured via {sup 19}F NMR spectroscopy. Finally, a respirometer was used to directly measure the oxidative rates of a polyurethane foam as a function of aging temperature. The measurement of the oxidation rates enabled acceleration factors for oxidative degradation of these materials to be calculated.