Radiation-induced polymerization and grafting of β(−)pinene on silica surface

Poly-β-pinene (pBp) was obtained on silica surface by γ radiation-induced polymerization of β(−)pinene in presence of silica gel with a specific surface area of 300 m2/g. Different radiation doses were employed in the range 50-332 kGy. The pBp-silica hybrid samples obtained have been characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and the amount of pBp on silica surface has been determined both by gravimetric and TGA measurements. The fraction of pBp chemically grafted on silica surface has been determined by the extraction of the pBp-silica hybrid with boiling toluene and was found to be 10-20% of the total pBp formed on silica surface. The optical activity of pBp extracted from the hybrid was studied by polarimetric measurements and found slightly lower than the typical specific optical rotation of pBp polymerized in bulk with radiation. The thermal stability of the pBp-silica hybrid materials was studied by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. The results show lower thermal stability for the pBp-silica hybrid in comparison to pure pBp. Evidently, silica catalyzes the thermal decomposition of pBp at lower temperatures. Use of the pBp-silica hybrid as stationary phase for liquid chromatography for chiral separations has been proposed.