Quantification of the maleic anhydride grafted onto polypropylene by chemical and viscosimetric titrations, and FTIR spectroscopy

An acid-base titration method for an accurate and reproducible quantification of maleic anhydride grafted onto polyolefins is proposed. The use of an organic base (tetra-butylammonium hydroxide) enhances the base solubility in organic solvents and prevents phenomena like coarcervation. The titration goes on until the visual endpoint of a coloured indicator, corresponding to the neutralisation of the grafted functions. Bromothymol blue is chosen as the coloured indicator to determine this equivalence point. It is critically correlated with a Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy quantification developed previously by De Roovers et al. [J Polym Sci, Part A: Polym Chem 1995;33:829] and with a viscosimetric titration method here-proposed Finally, the titration mechanism is confirmed by the titration of some well-defined amount of anhydride model compounds and by FTIR analyses of their products after titration. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.