Structure and Properties of Poly(Propylene Carbonate)

Poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC), a new kind of aliphatic polycarbonate copolymerized by carbon dioxide and propylene oxide, was characterized by FTIR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, DSC, TG, and viscosimetry. The copolymer chains consisted of alternative segments of carbon dioxide and propylene oxide and a small amount of homopolymer of propylene oxide. PPC fluid was pseudoplastic. Flow activation energy of PPC and quantitative relationship between apparent viscosity and molecular weight were obtained from their flow curves.