Crosslinking in polyethylene films by oxidation on metals

The kinetics of oxidative conversions, such as accumulation of carbonyl groups and crosslinks in polyethylene films that were subjected to oxidation on metallic substrates differing in activity (e.g., copper and aluminum), was investigated. It was learned that the rate and ultimate level of crosslinking in the polymer oxidized on copper were higher than those on aluminum. It is believed that this situation is related to the catalytic effect of the copper compounds transferred into the polymer volume at the regimes of contact oxidation. The amounts of transferred metal were approximately equal in both the soluble and the insoluble fractions of the polymer. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.