Mechanical Degradation of Large Molecules

Abstract

From the thermo-chemical data for the strength of the carbon-carbon single bond (about 5 × 10⁻³ dynes), the rate of shear was estimated for rupturing the centre bond of large hydrocarbon molecules in solution under laminar flow conditions owing to the component of the viscous drag in the direction of the long axis of the molecule. Experiments confirmed the calculated order of magnitude of the critical value of the rate of shear as a function of the chain-length of the molecule.