REDUCTIVE ELECTROCHEMICAL ATTACK OF POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE UNDER GALVANOSTATIC CONDITIONS - INFLUENCE OF THE INDIFFERENT ELECTROLYTE

The influence of galvanostatic electrolysis conditions and of the indifferent electrolyte (different tetraalkylammonium salts) on the reductive electrochemical attack (RECA) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was studied. A new thin-layer cell for studies of the electrochemical reactions and subsequent changes of solid polymers was described. It was found that at current densities of less than 1. 9 mA/cm2, the RECA yields of PET were a linear function of the amount of charge consumed. At higher current densities the RECA efficiency decreased owing to consumption of part of the charge for the reduction of components of the base-electrolyte solution. The E1/2 of PET was shown to depend on the anion type and size of the tetraalkylammonium cation in the base electrolyte. However, the RECA yields of PET were independent of the anion type.