Swelling Parameter of Polypropylene used in Household Appliances

Abstract

Samples of unfilled copolymer polypropylene were immersed in various solvents and the equilibrium swelling was recorded. Two-dimensional solubility maps of the Hildebrand parameter, delta, versus hydrogen bonding parameter, gamma(c), and delta(h) versus delta(v) for polypropylene were plotted. Using the calculated percentage swell values and the solubility maps, the delta and delta(h) values for detergent were postulated. No changes in the polypropylene backbone were revealed by mid- or far-infrared spectra, showing that the polypropylene polymer, when subjected to a number of different solvents, had not altered substantially.