Radical Degradation Processes Initiated by Catalytic Nanoparticles of CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} Towards Polymer Waste Application
- Bar Ilan University, Department of Chemistry and Bar-Ilan Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA) (Israel)
- Soreq Nuclear Research Center (SNRC) (Israel)
Polymer waste presents a modern environmental challenge due to the long-term stability of these materials. Elastomer-based polymers (e.g., tires, pipelines and shoes) are unique in comprising numerous double bonds, which are typically sensitive to radical-initiated oxidative degradation leading to the scission of polymer chains. In this paper, we propose a new approach for radical-initiated oxidative degradation of polymers using cobalt ferrite (CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles (NPs). We show that magnetic CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} NPs can effectively catalyze the oxidative degradation of polybutadiene (PB), offering easy magnetic recycling and reuse without affecting their catalytic efficiency. The CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} NPs were synthesized via a facile surfactant-free method based on a sonochemical reaction. We used methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP), a model system, to study the rate of radical decomposition catalyzed by the NPs. The radical decomposition rates were determined by following the discoloration of methylene blue (MB) using ultraviolet–visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy; electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements were used to study radical formation. The radical-initiated oxidative degradation of PB was studied by thermogravimetric analysis with mass spectrometry detection (TGA–MS). Our results show that cobalt ferrite NPs lead to formation of polymers with low molecular weight fragments and crosslinking, indicating that these NPs are very effective catalysts for the radical degradation of PB. CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} NPs are potentially suitable for other polymers, hence this approach may provide a novel route for the chemical (tertiary) recycling of polymers.
- OSTI ID:
- 22788006
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Polymers and the Environment, Vol. 26, Issue 8; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2018 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature; http://www.springer-ny.com; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1566-2543
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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