Physio-chemical degradation of thermally aged hypalon glove samples

Abstract Attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectra have been analyzed using multivariate curve resolution (MCR) to capture the chemistry of the thermal degradation in the aging of chlorosulfonated polyethylene (Hypalon ® ) glove samples. The analysis demonstrates the primary degradation pathways to be oxidation (formation of ketones and carboxylic acids), dehydrochlorination with formation of –CC– groups, and polymer crosslinking with changes in the C–H functional groups. From the multivariate analysis, the dominant degradation pathway involves carbon–carbon double bond formation and oxidation to form ketones. The tensile properties (modulus and elongation at break) demonstrate stiffening of the material with aging time. The dynamic mechanical data show that the storage modulus and mechanical loss tangent are also strongly affected with aging due to a hardening of the material. Taken together the mechanical and ATR data indicate that in thermal aging hypalon degrades by dehydrochlorination and loss of –SO 2 Cl functionality with –CC– formation, oxidation, and crosslinking causing the material to harden and become brittle.