Structural changes of chlorinated paraffins at processing conditions of particulate filled polypropylene

Abstract Structural changes of chlorinated paraffin (CP) have been studied using UV‐visible absorption spectroscopy in the 180 to 220°C temperature range. Formation and further reaction of conjugated polyene sequence with and without MgO is of major concern. It was found that CP dehydrochlorinated at normal processing temperatures of polypropylene in the absence of MgO. A mixture of various polyene sequences was formed. Unlike a stabilizing effect on poly(vinyl chloride), MgO showed a catalytic effect for dehydrochlorination of CP. As a result, longer conjugation was formed with MgO at the same conditions except for the absence of MgO. The longer polyenes were selectively reacted at the conditions studied. A possible chemical bond formation at the particulate filler/polypropylene matrix interface was suggested as one of the reinforcement mechanisms of the composite.