Wear-induced mechanical degradation of plastics by low-energy wet-grinding

Mechanical degradation of polymers reported so far, utilize cutting, impact or attrition for size reduction, which is very different from the low-magnitude forces experienced by the polymers during their service life. In this work, we have studied the effect of such low-magnitude forces, on the polymeric materials, using a low-energy rolling compression-type wet-grinder. The rolling compression action produces shear and compression on the polymer, leading to abrasion and resulting in the formation of crazes, micro-cracks and chip-offs, akin to the wearing. Measurements using Raman spectroscopy showed that the shear forces, generated upon grinding, produced strains on the polymer backbone, which upon sufficient build-up, results in chain scission at the points of physical entanglement. These homolytic chain scissions produced "mechano"radicals, which were confirmed by radical-scavenging using DPPH. The ensuing reduction in the molecular weight was further analyzed using GPC, light scattering and viscometry. Surprisingly, XRD measurements showed strain-induced crystallization as well. In order to theoretically validate the studies, a probabilistic model, explaining the "complex" response of the molecular weight distribution and the PDI upon mechanical degradation, has also been presented. Crosslink density function was incorporated to explain the preferential chain scission of the high molecular weight species, leading to a gradual reduction in the average molar mass. •For the first time, we have used low-magnitude shear force to study the mechanical degradation.•This more accurately reflects the degradation in polymers during their service life, rather than upon failure.•Wet-grinding was used for the first time to mechanically degrade plastics.•The low energy consumption, scalability, social prevalence and low cost, makes it viable for mechanochemical operations.•A probabilistic model was generated to describe the mechanical degradation, by introducing a new crosslink density function.