Research Information System
Polymer Degradation and Stability, vol.81, no.2, pp.287-295, 2003 (SCI-Expanded)
The thermal degradation of poly 2-[3-(6-tetralino)-3-methylcyclobutyl]-2-ketoethyl methacrylate [poly(TKEMA)] has been studied using a system consisting of a degradation tube, with a condenser for product collection, a gas-phase IR cell and a rotary pump and by thermogravimetry (TG). The investigation of the nature of the evolved products has been supplemented by studies of structural changes in the degrading polymer by FT-IR spectroscopy. Changes have been investigated under programmed heating at 10 °C/min from room temperature to 500 °C. In degradation of [poly(TKEMA)], product identification studies were done using FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Depolymerization is the main reaction in thermal degradation of the polymer. The degradation produces anhydride ring structures in the chain at temperatures up to about 300 °C. The cleaving of ketone, aldehyde, tetralin compounds from side chains of the polymers is a common reaction for the polymers. A mechanism of degradation showing the formation of some of these products is discussed. The activation energy for the thermal degradation of [poly(TKEMA)] is 210 kJ/mol in the first stage, observed at 220-330 °C. The second stage decomposition commenced at 330-430 °C and the energy of activation was 125 kJ/mol. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.