EPSRC Reference: |
GR/K99398/01 |
Title: |
THE EFFECTS OF HIGH ENERGY RADIATION ON THE THERMAL AND OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF OILS AND POLYMERS |
Principal Investigator: |
Lehrle, Dr R |
Other Investigators: |
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Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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Project Partners: |
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Department: |
School of Chemistry |
Organisation: |
University of Birmingham |
Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
Starts: |
01 May 1996 |
Ends: |
31 January 1999 |
Value (£): |
27,492
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EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
Materials Characterisation |
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EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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Related Grants: |
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Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
The thermal and oxidative stability of oils and polymers and the positive or negative ways in which high-energy radiation may influence their stability are relevant to the usage of these materials in a radiation environment. Highly-developed techniques for studying thermal/oxidative degradation (including microthermocouple-controlled prolysis-gc. -M.S, enclosed Curie-filament (E.F.C.) methods, D.S.C. and G.P.C.) will be used to study quantitatively the stability of samples in the presence and absence of high energy radiation. Changes in breakdown mechanisms resulting from controlled radiation dosages will be deduced from the kinetics and from other features of the degradation. In particular, chain initiation ad termination mechanisms can be deduced from the dependence of specific rate of molecular weight, and parallel verses consecutive mechanisms can be deuced from the identity (or otherwise) of the rate constants for formation of volatiles to limiting yields. Details of consecutive mechanisms can be deduced from dependence of yields and yield ratios on film thickness, and the occurrence of random scissions can be tested by appropriate statistical plots. Oxidative stability of solid polymers can be assessed from DSC measurements, and bubble-column methods used to assess that of oils. Attempts will be made to relate the mechanisms to changes in the physical properties of the oils and polymers, and thereby to propose structures or materials with improved radiation resistance.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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Impacts |
Description |
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Summary |
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Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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Project URL: |
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Further Information: |
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Organisation Website: |
http://www.bham.ac.uk |