X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is an established technology for elemental analysis of polyolefins. XRF is a matrix dependent analysis and accurate results require standards of similar matrices. The preparation of blended, matrix-matched polymer standards requires extensive effort and resources. Another quantitative approach is fundamental parameters (FP) analysis, where standards are either pressed p...

Branched polymers are among the most important polymers, ranging from polyolefins to polysaccharides. Branching plays a key role in the chain dynamics. It is thus very important for application properties such as mechanical and adhesive properties and digestibility. It also plays a key role in viscous properties, and thus in the mechanism of the separation of these polymers in size-exclusion ch...

Although produced from simple monomers that contain just carbon and hydrogen, polyolefin have complex molecular structures are characterized by distributions in molar mass, chemical composition, branching. Accordingly, a variety of advanced analytical techniques needed for the comprehensive characterization heterogeneity polyolefins. These include different fractionation, spectroscopic, thermal...

The Cover Feature shows the desirable life-cycle for polyolefins, leading from small building olefinic blocks to polymeric materials present everywhere in our daily life and use of transition metal catalysis cut recycle polymers back smaller molecules or new blocks. In their Review, M. Hapke co-workers compiled state-of-the-art chemical recycling polyethylenes polypropylenes at rather low react...

Polyethylene and polypropylene are the two polyolefins with wide ranging applications. They are recalcitrant and hence remain inert to degradation and deterioration leading to their accumulation in the environment, and, therefore creating serious environmental problems. In this review, biodegradation of these two polymers under in vitro conditions is reported. An attempt has been made to cover ...