Determination of the concentration profile and homogeneity of antioxidants and degradation products in a cross-linked polyethylene type A (PEXa) pipe

A solvent extraction technique has been developed to determine the concentration profile of two antioxidants and five degradation products of antioxidants in cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) materials. Irganox® 1076 and two degradation products in a PEX pipe type A (PEXa) were detected after extraction in chloroform. Fick's second law of diffusion was used to verify that 24 h of extraction at room temperature was sufficient to extract Irganox® 1076 and the degradation products from PEX materials with a thickness of 5 μm. With the use of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the concentration profile was measured at four different places on a 100 m PEXa pipe. A two-way ANOVA analysis showed that the composition of Irganox® 1076 was homogenous in the radial direction and heterogeneous in the longitudinal direction. Two degradation products of antioxidants were detected, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-benzoquinone and 2,4-di-tert-butyl phenol. The composition of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-benzoquinone was found to be homogeneous in the radial and longitudinal direction. 2,4-Di-tert-butyl phenol was homogeneous in the radial direction but heterogeneous in the longitudinal direction.