• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.88-92
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• 2012

Decrosslinking of crosslinked polypropylene(XLPP) in supercritical methanol was investigated compared with that of crosslinked polyethylene(XLPE). Effect of reaction temperature and initial gel contents was studied using a batch reactor. Gel contents of samples before and after reaction were measured for quantitative analysis. As reaction temperature and initial gel contents increased, the decrosslinking rate increased. The rate of decrosslinking reaction is dependent linearly on the gel contents. Experimental results indicated that the decrosslinking of XLPP was faster than that of XLPE, and it was confirmed quantitatively by the calculation of kinetic constants. In conclusion, it is considered that XLPP has better recyclability than XLPE.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.950-955
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• 2009

The physical and rheological properties of thermoplasticized irradiation-crosslinked polyethylene foam using supercritical methanol treatment were investigated by GPC, FTIR, DSC, WAXS, DMTA and UDS. The polyethylene foam was selectively decrosslinked into thermoplasticized polyethylene in an appropriate supercritical methanol condition without any undesirable side reactions such as oxidation and disproportionation. The thermoplasticization was promoted with increasing reaction temperature to reach completion above $380^{\circ}C$. The supercritical reaction condition affected the crystallization behavior, and mechanical and rheological properties of the decrosslinked polyethylene foam, but not its crystallographic structure or crystallinity.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2008

We investigated the recycling method to re-plasticize cross-linked polyethylene by using supercritical methanol. The cross-linked polyethylene is successfully fragmented to thermoplasticized polyethylene with little degradation reactions in supercritical fluids. The thermo-plasticization reaction was accelerated with increase in temperature in the range from $360^{\circ}C$ to $400^{\circ}C$, resulting in decrease in crosslinking density, molecular weight and mechanical properties. However, the thermoplasticized polyethylene at $360^{\circ}C$ showed comparable tensile strength and impact strength with a raw resin of crosslinked polyethylene. Chemical structure of main chain of polyethylene was not affected by reaction condition.