Thermal degradation study of isotactic polypropylene using factor-jump thermogravimetry

The degradation of isotactic polypropylene in the range 390–465°C was studied using factor-jump thermogravimetry. The degradations were carried out in vacuum and at pressures of 5 and 800 mm Hg of N₂, flowing at 100–400 standard mL/s. At 800 mm Hg this corresponds to linear rates of 1–4 mm/s. In vacuum bubbling in the sample caused problems in measuring the rate of weight loss. The apparent activation energy was estimated as 61.5 ± 0.8 kcal/mol (257 ± 3 kJ/mol). In slowly flowing N₂ at 800 mm Hg pressure the activation energy was 55.1 ± 0.2 kcal/mol (230 ± 0.8 kJ/mol) for isotactic polypropylene and 51.1 ± 0.5 kcal/mol (214 ± 2 kJ/mol) for a naturally aged sample of atactic polypropylene. For isotactic polypropylene degrading at an external N₂ pressure of 5 mm Hg the apparent activation energy was 55.9 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (234 ± 1 kJ/mol). A simplified degradation mechanism was used with estimates of the activation energies of initiation and termination to give an estimate of 29.6 kcal/mol for the ß-scission of tertiary radicals on the polypropylene backbone. Initiation was considered to be backbone scission ß to allyl groups formed in the termination reaction. For initiation by random scission of the polymer backbone, as in the early stages of thermal degradation, an overall activation energy of 72 kcal/mol is proposed. The difference between vacuum and in-N₂ activation energies is ascribed to the latent heat contributions of molecules which do not evaporate as soon as they are formed. At these imposed rates of weight loss the average molecular weights of the volatiles in vacuum and in 8 and 800 mm H_g N₂ are in the ratios 1–1/2–1/9.     

Ethylbenzene solubility,diffusivity, and permeability in poly(dimethylsiloxane)

The pure‐gas sorption, diffusion, and permeation properties of ethylbenzene in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) are reported at 35, 45, and 55 °C and at pressures ranging from 0 to 4.4 cmHg. Additionally, mixed‐gas ethylbenzene/N₂ permeability properties at 35 °C, a total feed pressure of 10 atm, and a permeate pressure of 1 atm are reported. Ethylbenzene solubility increases with increasing penetrant relative pressure and can be described by the Flory–Rehner model with an interaction parameter of 0.24 ± 0.02. At a fixed relative pressure, ethylbenzene solubility decreases with increasing temperature, and the enthalpy of sorption is −41.4 ± 0.3 kJ/mol, which is independent of ethylbenzene concentration and essentially equal to the enthalpy of condensation of pure ethylbenzene. Ethylbenzene diffusion coefficients decrease with increasing concentration at 35 °C. The activation energy of ethylbenzene diffusion in PDMS at infinite dilution is 49 ± 6 kJ/mol. The ethylbenzene activation energies of permeation decrease from near 0 to −34 ± 7 kJ/mol as concentration increases, whereas the activation energy of permeation for pure N₂ is 8 ± 2 kJ/mol. At 35 °C, ethylbenzene and N₂ permeability coefficients determined from pure‐gas permeation experiments are similar to those obtained from mixed‐gas permeation experiments, and ethylbenzene/N₂ selectivity values as high as 800 were observed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1461–1473, 2000     

Thermal degradation of poly[(tetramethyl-p-silphenylene) siloxane]

For the purpose of studying the mechanism of thermal degradation of poly[(tetramethyl-p-silphenylene) Siloxane] (poly TMPS) a series of polymers with silphenylene and siloxane bonds in the main chain were prepared and subjected to thermogravimetry (TG) and pyrolysis study. Analyses of products from poly TMPS degradation (in vacuum at a constant temperature) by gas chromatography (GC), infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) revealed that degradation occurs at the silphenylene bonds. The TG curves obtained in He for heating rates of 1,2,2.5,7.5, and 10°C/min were analyzed by the Ozawa method; activation energies of 39 ± 1 and 45 ± 2 kcal/mol were obtained respectively for the initial cleavage of the methyl side group and the later-stage scission of the main-chain silphenylene bond which leads to a major weight loss. The results agree with those obtained for other structurally similar polymers.     

Thermal degradation and oxidation of polystyrene studied by factor-jump thermogravimetry

Factor-jump thermogravimetry has been used to study the activation energy of polystyrene degrading in a vacuum, in N₂ flowing at 4 mm/s and in $\text{N}{}_2\text{O}{}_2$ mixtures. The results show the activation energy to be 44·9 ± 0·2 kcal/mole (188 ± 0·8 kJ/mole) for degradation above 350°C in vacuum or in flowing N₂. This agrees well with work reported in 1949 by Jellinek⁷ but with few results reported subsequently.The apparent activation energy for polystyrene losing weight above 280°C in an atmosphere of abundant O₂ is 21·5 ± 0·2 kcal/mole (90·2 ± 0·8 kJ/mole). In all cases where O₂ was deliberately introduced (partial pressures >4 mm Hg), the sample degraded to a black tar and the activation energy was ≤30 kcal/mole, depending on the amount of oxygen present and on the thermal history of the sample.     

Thermal degradation of polyisobutylene studied using factor-jump thermogravimetry

The overall activation energy of the thermal degradation of polyisobutylene has been measured using factor-jump thermogravimetry to be 206±1 kJ/mole over the range 365 to 405° in N₂ at 800 mm Hg pressure and flowing at 4 mm/s over the sample. This is consistent with some values reported for thermal degradation in vacuum and in solution. In 5 mm Hg of N₂, an apparent activation energy of 218±2 kJ/mole was found, and in vacuum the apparent activation energy is 238±13 kJ/mole. Troublesome bubbling made the vacuum values difficult to measure. Substitution of reasonable values for the activation energies of initiation,E _i , termination,E _t , and the activation energy,E _a , for vacuum degradation in the equationE _a =E _i /2E _d -E _t /2 yields an activation energy E_d=84 kJ/mole for the unzipping reaction. This equation presupposes a degradation mechanism of random initiation, unzipping, and bimolecular termination. Substitution of reasonable values for the heat of polymerization, ΔH, in the definition ΔH=E _p ?e _d suggests that the activation energy of the polymerization reaction at 375° is approximately 30 kJ/mole.     

Thermal degradation study of phenolphthalein polycarbonate

Phenolphthalein polycarbonate underwent complicated thermal degradation which included random scission, rearrangement, hydrolysis, Friedel-Crafts acylation, and cross-linking. The carbonate group and lactone ring were both susceptible to thermal deterioration. Kinetic parameters were determined from the dynamic TGA thermograms. During early stages of degradation the measured reaction order was nearly 1, which suggested a random chain scission mechanism. The measured activation energy was 42.6 kcal/mol, compared with 41.2 kcal/mol calculated from isothermal aging. The Arrhenius preexponential constant was 3.09 × 10¹¹ min^?1. Below 80% weight residue the plot of fractional weight against 1/T revealed that complicated reactions with different activation energies occurred simultaneously and resulted in a final overlap of TGA curves for different heating rates indicative of cross-linking and a lower preexponential constant. The reaction order changed and kept increasing in the last stages of degradation. Pyrolysis of this polymer was performed at 350°C under vacuum, followed by GC-mass spectroscopic identification of products. The volatile products (17.5%) contained CO₂, CO, O₂, H₂O, phenol, fluorenone, diphenyl carbonate, xanthone, anthraquinone, 2-hydroxylanthraquinone, 2-benzoxyanthraquinone, phenolphthalein, and trace amounts of benzoxyphenol and hydroquinone; the other 82.5% of products was insoluble gel. Functional group changes were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Lactone, carbonate, and aromatic absorptions decreased during degradation. Increasing absorptions at 1739, 1728, 1280–1200, and 1138–1075 cm^?1 were believed to result from aromatic ester (1728 cm^?1) and phenyl aromatic ester (1739 cm^?1) cross-linkages ortho to the aromatic ether group (increases at 1155 cm^?1 and 1280–1200 cm^?1). Existence of 2-hydroxyanthraquinone and xanthone contained in the crosslinked polymer matrix were also detected. Mechanisms for random scission, rearrangement, Friedel-Crafts acylation, hydrolysis, and cross-linking were suggested.     

Sorption,diffusion, and permeation of ethylbenzene in poly(1‐trimethylsilyl‐1‐propyne)

The solubility, diffusivity, and permeability of ethylbenzene in poly(1‐trimethylsilyl‐1‐propyne) (PTMSP) at 35, 45 and 55 °C were determined using kinetic gravimetric sorption and pure gas permeation methods. Ethylbenzene solubility in PTMSP was well described by the generalized dual‐mode model with χ = 0.39 ± 0.02, b = 15 ± 1, and C^′_H = 45 ± 4 cm³ (STP)/cm³ PTMSP at 35 °C. Ethylbenzene solubility increased with decreasing temperature; the enthalpy of sorption at infinite dilution was −40 ± 7 kJ/mol and was essentially equal to the enthalpy change upon condensation of pure ethylbenzene. The diffusion coefficient of ethylbenzene in PTMSP decreased with increasing concentration and decreasing temperature. Activation energies of diffusion were very low at infinite dilution and increased with increasing concentration to a maximum value of 50 ± 10 kJ/mol at the highest concentration explored. PTMSP permeability to ethylbenzene decreased with increasing concentration. The permeability estimated from solubility and diffusivity data obtained by kinetic gravimetric sorption was in good agreement with permeability determined from direct permeation experiments. Permeability after exposure to a high ethylbenzene partial pressure was significantly higher than that observed before the sample was exposed to a higher partial pressure of ethylbenzene. Nitrogen permeability coefficients were also determined from pure gas experiments. Nitrogen and ethylbenzene permeability coefficients increased with decreasing temperature, and infinite dilution activation energies of permeation for N₂ and ethylbenzene were −5.5 ± 0.5 kJ/mol and −74 ± 11 kJ/mol, respectively. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1078–1089, 2000     

Homogeneous decomposition of vinyl ethers. The heat of formation of ethanal-2-yl

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of three vinylethers has been studied in a VLPP apparatus. The high-pressure rate constant for the retro-ene reaction of ethylvinylether was fit by log k (sec^?1) = (11.47 + 0.25) - (43.4 ± 1.0)/2.303 RT at <T> = 900 K and that of t - butylvinylether by log k (sec^?1) = (12.00 ± 0.27) - (38.4 ± 1.0)/2.303 RT at <T> = 800 K. No evidence for the competition of the higher energy homolytic bond-fission process could be obtained from the experimental data. The rate constant compatible with the C? O bond scission reaction in the case of benzylvinylether was log k (sec^?1) = (16.63 ± 0.30) - (53.74 ± 1.0)/2.303 RT at <T> = 750 K. Together with ΔH_f,300⁰(benzyl·) = 47.0 kcal/mol, the activation energy for this reaction results in ΔH_f,300⁰(CH₂CHO) = +3.0 ± 2.0 kcal/mol and a corresponding resonance stabilization energy of 3.2 ± 2.0 kcal/mol for 2-ethanalyl radical.     

The very low-pressure pyrolysis of phenyl ethyl ether,phenyl allyl ether,and benzyl methyl ether and the enthalpy of formation of the phenoxy radical

A value of the enthalpy of formation of the phenoxy radical in the gas phase, ΔH°_,298K (?O·, g) = 11.4 ± 2.0 kcal/mol, has been obtained from the kinetic study of the unimolecular decompositions of phenyl ethyl ether, phenyl allyl ether, and benzyl methyl ether

1 Trivial names for ethoxy benzene, 2-propenoxy (allyloxy) benzene, and α-methoxytoluene, respectively

at very low pressures. Bond fission, producing phenoxy or benzyl radicals, respectively, is the only mode of decomposition in each case. The present value leads to a bond dissociation energy BDE(?O—H) = 86.5 ± 2 kcal/mol,

2 1 kcal = 4.18674 kJ (absolute)

in good agreement with recent estimates made on the basis of competitive oxidation steps in the liquid phase. A comparison with bond dissociation energies of aliphatic alcohols, BDE(RO—H) = 104 kcal/mol, reveals that the stabilization energy of the phenoxy radical (17.5 kcal/mol) is considerably greater than the one observed for the isoelectronic benzyl radical (13.2 kcal/mol). Decomposition of phenoxy radicals into cyclopentadienyl radicals and CO has been observed at temperatures above 1000°K, and a mechanism for this reaction is proposed.     

Effects of temperature on the weathering lifetime of coated polycarbonate

The lifetime of polycarbonate (PC) coated with silicone hardcoats containing UV absorber is shorter at elevated temperatures. The activation energy (E_a) for delamination was found to be 18 ± 2 kJ/mol (4.3 ± 0.5 kcal/mol) at the 95% confidence level in this study. This E_a is the consequence of the sensitivity of the substrate and the UV absorber to temperature. The E_a for PC photodegradation was previously found to be 17-21 kJ/mol (4-5 kcal/mol). The E_a for loss of absorbance in the second-generation silicone hardcoat was found to be 28.5 ± 5.4 kJ/mol (6.8 ± 1.3 kcal/mol) at the 95% confidence level. Results are consistent with experimental findings when these activation energies are used in published predictive models. Since the E_a for coating delamination depends on the E_a of UV absorber loss, coating systems different from the one in this study will need to be investigated separately.     

Molecular basis of healing and fracture at polymer interfaces

The interdiffusion of polymer chains across a polymer–polymer interface, and subsequent fracture to re-create the interface is reviewed. In particular, films formed via latex coalescence provide a very large surface area. Of course, latex film formation is a very important practical problem. Healing of the interface by interdiffusion is treated using the de Gennes reptation theory and the Wool minor chain reptation model. The self-diffusion coefficients of polystyrene and the polymethacrylates obtained by small-angle neutron scattering, SANS, direct non-radiative energy transfer, DET, and other techniques are compared. Reduced to 150,000 g/mol and 135°C, both polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) have diffusion coefficients of the order of 10^?16?10^?17 cm²/sec. Variations in the diffusion coefficient values are attributed to the experimental approaches, theoretical treatments and molecular weight distribution differences. An activation energy of 55 kcal/mol was calculated from an Arrhenius plot of all polystyrene data reduced to a number-average molecular weight of 150,000 g/mol, using an inverse square molecular weight conversion method. Interestingly, this is in between the activation energies for the α and β relaxation processes in polystyrene, 84 and 35 kcal/mol, respectively. Fracture of polystyrene was considered in terms of chain scission and chain pull-out. A dental burr apparatus was used to fracture the films. For low molecular weights, chain pull-out dominates, but for high molecular weights, chain scission dominates. At 150,000 g/mol, the energy to fracture is divided approximately equally between the two mechanisms. Above a certain number average molecular weight (about 400,000 g/mol), the number of chain scissions remains constant at about 10²⁴ scissions/m³. Energy balance calculations for film formation and film fracture processes indicate that the two processes are partly reversible, but have important components of irreversibility. From the interdiffusion SANS data, the diffusion rate is calculated to be about 1 Å/min, which is nine orders of magnitude slower than the dental burr pull-out velocity of about 0.8 cm/sec.     

The thermal decomposition of poly-4,4'-oxydiphenylene pyromellitimide

The thermal decomposition of Vespel SP-l (poly-4,4'-oxydiphenylene pyro- mellitimide) has been investigated using thermogravimetry. Weight versus temperature curves in dry air, in dry argon and under vacuum are reported. Vespel SP-l undergoes a partial decomposition (carbonization) above 470°C in argon and under vacuum resulting in a weight loss of approximately 35‰ In air a second decomposition step (oxidation) is observed which results in a weight loss of nearly 100‰ Samples were decomposed isothermally in argon to investigate the carbonization step and these partially decomposed samples were then heated in air to study the oxidation process. Activation energies determined are 76.5 ± 1.3 kcal/mole for the first step in argon and 24.5 ±0.7 kcal/mole for the final decomposition in air.     

Insertion reaction of propene into Rh?H bond in HRh(CO)(PH3)2(C3H6) compound: A density functional study

Quantum mechanical calculations at the MP4 (SDQ) level using the BP86‐optimized geometries were carried out to investigate the energies and reaction mechanism for the propene (CH₃ C¹H CH$^{\mathrm{2}}_{\mathrm{2}}$) insertion reaction into the Rh H bond, using the cis‐HRh(CO)(PH₃)₂ compound as a model catalytic species. Since the reaction may occur on the branched carbon 1 or in the normal carbon 2 , which leads to branched and normal Rh(alkyl) compounds, respectively, we investigated these two mechanisms. The results show that the insertion in the branched carbon has an activation energy of 16.2 kcal/mol, and the activation energy for the reaction to take place at the normal carbon is 14.3 kcal/mol. These activation energies, together with the calculated relative energy of the metal–alkyl compounds formed after the insertion considering these two pathways, were used to access the regioselectivity on this reaction. We found a ratio of normal‐ and iso‐products, n:iso, of (96:4), which is in excellent agreement with the experimental regioselectity of (95:5). © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 78: 42–51, 2000     

Theoretical study on the isomerization and tautomerism in barbituric acid

Isomerization and tautomerism of 16 isomers of barbituric acid (BA) were studied at the MP2 and B3LYP levels of theory. Activation energies (E _a), imaginary frequencies (υ), and Gibbs free energies (ΔG ^#) of the amine-imine and keto-enol tautomerisms and O–H internal rotations were calculated. The activation energies of amine-imine tautomerisms were in the range of 110–200 kJ/mol and for keto-enol tautomerisms were larger than 200 kJ/mol. The calculated activation energies of internal O–H rotations were smaller than 60 kJ/mol. Effect of micro-hydration on the transition state structures and activation energies of the tautomerisms were also investigated. Water molecule catalyzed the tautomerisms and decreased the activation energies of both the amine-imine and keto-enol tautomerisms about 100–120 kJ/mol.     

Vacuum and oxidative pyrolysis of poly-p-xylylene. II. Chromatographic analysis and kinetics of reaction products

Reaction products of vacuum and oxidative degradation of poly-p-xylylene have been quantitatively determined by chromatographic analysis as function of time, temperature and oxygen pressure. Respective Arrhenius parameters were also ascertained for some of the reaction products and for the sums of all products. The energies of activation for the sums agree quite satisfactorily with the energies of activation obtained previously by uninterrupted experiments in quartz-spoon reaction vessels. The results found here can be described in terms of mechanisms previously postulated on the basis of the total loss in weight (or volatile production) data. Scission of “weak” links (due to abnormal structures) takes place followed by formation of various products. The whole process is governed by the initial chain scission reaction; however, the energies of activation for each of the products do not need to be identical with that of the chain scission reaction. Each product is formed by a reaction which has its own characteristic number average kinetic chain lengths; the latter have their specific energy of activation values. Oxidative degradation produces the same organic compounds as vacuum degradation and in addition CO, CO₂, and H₂O. Oxidized intermediate compounds are apparently fairly rapidly decarboxylated and decarbonylated. Oxidative chain scission is appreciably faster than that in vacuum. Almost simultaneous “weak” link and “normal” chain scission are taking place initiating the formation of a number of products.     

Solution-Structure and Aggregation Behavior of Two Dilithiostyrene Derivatives

The solution structure and the aggregation behavior of (E)-2-lithio-1-(2-lithiophenyl)-1-phenylpent-1-ene ( 1 ) and (Z)-2-lithio-1-(2-lithiophenyl)ethene ( 2 ) were investigated by one- and two-dimensional ¹H-, ¹³C-, and ⁶Li-NMR spectroscopy. In Et₂O, both systems form dimers which show homonuclear scalar ⁶Li,⁶Li spin-spin coupling. In the case of 2 , extensive ⁶Li,¹H coupling is observed. In tetrahdrofuran and in the presence of 2 mol of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylylenediamine (tmeda), the dimeric structure of 1 coexists with a monomer. The activation parameters for intra-aggregate exchange in the dimers of 1 and 2 ( 1 (Et₂O): ΔH≠ = 62.6 ± 13.9 kJ/mol, ΔS≠ = 5.8 ± 14.0 J/mol K, ΔG≠(263) = 61.1 kJ/mol; 2 (dimethoxyethane): ΔH≠ = 36.9 ± 6.5 kJ/mol, ΔS≠ = ?61 ± 25 J/mol K, ΔG≠(263) = 54.0 kJ/mol) and the thermodynamic parameters for the dimer-monomer equilibrium for 1 (ΔH°; = 26.7 ± 5.5 kJ/mol, ΔS° = 63 ± 27 J/mol K), where the monomer is favored at low temperature, were determined by dynamic NMR studies.     

The heat of formation of C2F4

The CCSD(T) atomization energies are extrapolated to the complete basis set limit, and are corrected for zero-point energy, spin–orbit, core-valence, and scalar relativistic effects. Our best heats of formation at 298 K for CF₄ and C₂F₄ are −223.1±1.1 and −160.5±1.5 kcal/mol, respectively. The CF₄ value is in excellent agreement with experiment (−223.04±0.18 kcal/mol), while the C₂F₄ result suggests that the experimental value (−157.6±0.6 kcal/mol) has a larger error than believed. Our value for C₂F₄ also shows that the G3 value has the expected error of ±2 kcal/mol.     

Desorption kinetics of model polar stratospheric cloud films measured using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Temperature‐Programmed Desorption

This study combines Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and temperature‐programmed desorption to examine the evaporation kinetics of thin films of crystalline nitric acid hydrates, solid amorphous H₂O/HNO₃ mixtures, H₂O–ice, ice coated with HCl, and solid HNO₃. IR spectroscopy measured the thickness of each film as it evaporated, either at constant temperature or during a linear temperature ramp (temperature‐programmed infrared, TPIR). Simultaneously, a mass spectrometer measured the rate of evaporation directly by monitoring the evolution of the molecules into the gas phase (temperature‐programmed desorption, TPD). Both TPIR and TPD data provide a measurement of the desorption rate and yield the activation energy and preexponential factor for desorption. TPD measurements have the advantage of producing many data points but are subject to interference from experimental difficulties such as uneven heating from the edge of a sample and sample‐support as well as pumping‐speed limitations. TPIR experiments give clean but fewer data points. Evaporation occurred between 170 and 215 K for the various films. Ice evaporates with an activation energy of 12.9 ± 1 kcal/mol and a preexponential factor of 1 × 10^32±1.5 molec/cm² s, in good agreement with the literature. The beta form of nitric acid trihydrate, β–NAT, has an E_des of 15.6 ± 2 kcal/mol with log A = 34.3 ± 2.3; the alpha form of nitric acid trihydrate, α–NAT, is around 17.7 ± 3 kcal/mol with log A = 37.2 ± 4. For nitric acid dihydrate, NAD, E_des is 17.3 ± 2 kcal/mol with log A = 35.9 ± 2.6; for nitric acid monohydrate, NAM, E_des is 13 ± 3 kcal/mol with log A = 31.4 ± 3. The α–NAT converts to β–NAT during evaporation, and the amorphous solid H₂O/HNO₃ mixtures crystallize during evaporation. The barrier to evaporation for pure nitric acid is 14.6 ± 3 kcal/mol with log A = 34.4 ± 3. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 295–309, 2001     

Permanganate/glycine-initiated polymerization of acrylamide

The kinetics of aqueous polymerization of acrylamide with KMnO₄/glycine redox pair was studied in an atmosphere of nitrogen at 35 ± 0.2°C. The rate of polymerization was found to be first power on monomer, activator, and catalyst concentration. The overall energy of activation was calculated to be 15.66 kcal/deg mol (65.54 kJ/mol) between 30 and 50°C. The effects of various additives (alcohols, neutral salts, complexing agents, addition of catalyst) were studied. The dependence of the polymerization rate on the activator and catalyst concentration was studied in DMF-water mixture also. The molecular weight of polymer was determined at various temperatures of the reaction medium.     

Properties of amorphous and crystallizable hydrocarbon polymers. IV. Melt rheology of linear and star-branched hydrogenated polybutadiene

Some results on the melt rheology of hydrogenated polybutadiene (HPB) with narrow-molecular-weight distribution are reported and compared with the corresponding properties of the precursor polybutadienes (PBD) and fractions of linear polyethylene (PE). In linear samples the dynamic moduli obeyed frequency-temperature superposition. The relationship between melt viscosity and intrinsic viscosity at 190°C for HPB was indistinguishable from that for PE, but their flow activation energies were slightly different (E_a = 7.2 kcal for HPB and 6.4 kcal for PE). Like PE, but unlike the PBD precursors, the dynamic storage modulus at low frequencies was anomalous. Otherwise, the dynamic moduli of HPB and its PBD precursor were essentially superposable. Plateau moduli from different samples were somewhat variable around an average of G = 2.3₁ × 10⁷ dyn/cm². The dynamic moduli for the HPB stars, unlike their PBD precursors, did not obey temperature-frequency superposition. At high frequencies the temperature coefficient approached that for linear HPB, but it increased with decreasing frequency, reaching limiting values which depended on the arm length. The flow activation energy ranged from 9 kcal to more than 15 kcal as arm length increased.