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Mechanochemical synthesis of polypropylene-based macromolecular stabilizers

Reactive and Functional Polymers 2024 2 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Mattia Di Maro, Domitilla Giraldi, Stefano Menichetti, Simona Losio, Paola Stagnaro, Roberto Utzeri, Linda Cerofolini, Marco Fragai, Caterina Viglianisi

Summary

Researchers developed a solvent-free, mechanical grinding method to chemically attach stabilizing additives directly onto polypropylene plastic, creating more durable materials without harmful solvents — an advance in making plastic manufacturing cleaner and safer.

A mechanochemical process is proposed as an innovative approach to the synthesis of polypropylene-based macromolecular stabilizers with outstanding thermal behavior. Properly designed butylated hydroxytoluene antioxidants (BHT) and hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) are covalently linked to polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PP- g -MA) using a ball-mill apparatus under mild and solvent-free conditions. The study reports a quantitative evaluation of the degree of functionalization based on ATR-FTIR quantification technique and the solid-state NMR spectroscopy characterization of the ensuing materials. This strategy is a significant step towards safe and sustainable chemical synthesis in the field of macromolecular materials. The covalent linking of suitable stabilizing units to a maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene by a solvent free mechanochemical process carried out in a ball milling system. The study reports ATR-FTIR and solid-state NMR spectroscopy techniques for quantification and characterization of the ensuing materials. Institute and/or researcher Twitter usernames: @CViglianisi; @UNI_FIRENZE; @cnr_scitec. • Sustainable chemical functionalization of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene. • Quantitative evaluation of the degree of functionalization based on ATR-FTIR quantification technique. • Solid-state NMR spectroscopy characterization of the macromolecular materials. • Mechanochemical synthesis of macromolecular stabilizers under mild and solvent-free conditions.

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