The use of SSA fractionation to detect changes in the molecular structure of model ethylene–butene copolymers modified by peroxide crosslinking

Four model ethylene–butene copolymers of different molecular weights modified with various concentrations of peroxide were analyzed by a DSC based successive self annealing method. The original copolymers had the same intra and intermolecular homogeneous branching distribution along the linear chains with approximately 2.4% mol of ethyl branches. The copolymers with average molecular weights of 29,000, 45,000, 81,000 and 125,000 g/mol were modified with different amounts of 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(tert-butyl peroxy)-hexane (DBPH) as a crosslinking initiator. The molecular changes induced by the reaction with the peroxide affect the semicrystalline structure of the material. Variations in the crystal thickness distributions of the material as a consequence of the modification are related to the peroxide induced free radical reactions.