Thermal degradation of poly(tetramethyl-p-silphenylene) siloxane homopolymers and copolymers in nitrogen

The thermogravimetry (TGA) in nitrogen was measured for poly(tetramethyl-p-silphenylene)-siloxane (TMPS) fractions with narrow molecular weight distributions and for block copolymers of TMPS and dimethyl siloxane (DMS) with varying composition. The measurements were made with the Perkin-Elmer DCS IB-TGA attachment which consists of a Cahn electrobalance and a wire-wound furnace with programmable temperature controls. The weight loss curves for heating rates of 10, 20, and 40°C/min were analyzed using the method of Flynn and Wall. The analysis indicates that thermal degradation proceeds primarily by scission of the siloxane bond with an activation energy of 44 ± 3 kcal/mole for the uncatalyzed reaction and 13 ± 2 kcal/mole for the reaction occurring in the presence of residual catalyst. The thermal stability of the TMPS–DMS copolymer is impaired through increasing the concentration of the DMS component. Cyclic DMS trimer and TMPS monomer and dimer were observed by mass spectrometry which gave results consistent with the proposed mechanism of degradation.     

Thermal degradation of poly-p-oxybenzoate under vacuum

The thermal degradation of poly-p-oxybenzoate in vacuo as function of temperature has been studied. The energy of activation of the process up to about 30% volatile formation is 59.6 kcal/mole. The degradation is preceded by induction periods, which have been shown to be due to poor heat conductivity of the polymer powder. CO, CO₂, phenol, and an unknown compound of molecular weight larger than 200 are the main degradation products found by chromatographic analysis. Infrared spectra of the original polymer, the polymer residue after degradation and of a degradation product solid at room temperature are presented. The possible reactions taking place have been indicated. The heat stability of the polymer in vacuo lies between those of polytetra-fluoroethylene and polyethylene.     

Thermomechanical behavior of a polyphenylquinoxaline

Crosslinking of linear poly[2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)-6,6′-bis(3-phenylquinoxaline)] (PPQ) by isothermal heat exposure in the temperature range between 425 and 490°C was investigated by means of torsional braid analysis. The change in glass transition temperature due to isothermal exposure was used as a kinetic parameter. In order to determine the effect of molecular weight and type of polymer chain ends, three PPQ samples were prepared that differed only in molecular weight and polymer chain endgroups. The apparent activation energy of isothermal crosslinking was independent of molecular weight and chain endings. Its value of 60 kcal/mole is the same as that for the thermal degradation of PPQ (determined by isothermal weight loss measurements). The rates of change of T_g at a particular temperature, however, are a function of both molecular weight (at least for these polymers that do not have a sufficiently high molecular weight) and the type of polymer chain ends. It was observed that isothermally crosslinked PPQ gave a higher break point in the TGA curve and also an increased char yield at 800°C than the linear precursor.     

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.     

Thermal degradation of a polyphenylquinoxaline in air and vacuum

A series of poly[2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)-6,6′-bis(3-phenylquinoxalines)] were prepared. These polymers had all the same repeating unit but differed in molecular weight and polymer chain endings. The thermal degradation characteristics in air and vacuum were determined by isothermal weight loss measurements. The temperature coefficients of thermal degradation (apparent activation energies) were also determined. Whereas the apparent activation energies for degradation in air showed a considerable dependency on the type of polymer chain endings, no such effect was observed upon pyrolysis in vacuo. A possible chain-end unzipping mechanism of degradation in air is postulated to explain these results.     

Isothermal degradation of poly-2,2′-(m-phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole

The isothermal degradation of poly-2,2′-(m-phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole in vacuo has been studied. Measurement of the increase in pressure with time, coupled with infrared analysis, was used to determine the distribution of the degradation products. Processes A and B with different second-order rate laws were determined to be significant in the temperature range of 550–700°C. Process A leads to the formation of equimolar quantities of hydrogen and ammonia and has an activation energy of 68 kcal/mole. Process B leads to the production of HCN, NH₃, and H₂ in the ratio of 1:1:2.5 and has an activation energy of 77 kcal/mole. The activation energies and the rate laws are consistent with a mechanism in which the initial degradation step is the bimolecular reaction of two aromatic rings.     

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.     

Kinetic study of dissolution of poly(vinyl chloride) in cyclohexanone

The kinetics of dissolution of five fractions of commercial poly(vinyl chloride) in cyclohexanone was studied at temperatures from 20 to 70°C. Good agreement was observed between the experimental results and equations expressing the dependence of the induction periods and the rates of dissolution on temperature and molecular weight. It was found that the apparent activation energy for the swelling process lies in the range 9–14 kcal/mole and the apparent activation energy for the dissolution diffusion process in the range 8–12 kcal/mole. The apparent dependence of activation energies on number-average molecular weight indicates that the chain ends are more important in determining the dissolution rate than the centers of the polymer chains.     

Thermally degrading polyethylene studied by means of factor-jump thermogravimetry

Degradation of polyethylene in both linear (NBS 1475) and branched (NBS 1476) form has been studied in the range 410–475°C using factor-jump thermogravimetry. In vacuum, the rate of weight loss was erratic because of bubbling in the sample. The apparent overall activation energy was determined to be 65.4 ± 0.5 kcal/mol (273 ± 2 kJ/mol). There was no distinguishable difference between linear and branched samples. In slowly flowing N₂ at 8 mmHg (1 mmHg = 133 Pa), the overall activation energy was determined to be 64.8 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (271 ± 1 kJ/mol) for linear PE and 64.4 ± 0.2 kcal/mol (269 ± 1 kJ/mol) for a sample of PE with one percent branches. In N₂ at 800 mmHg, the values were 62.6 ± 0.5 kcal/mol for linear PE and 61.2 ± 0.6 kcal/mol for the branched sample, the rate of weight loss being smooth in both cases. Changing the linear flow velocities over the range 1–4 mm/sec at 800 mmHg did not affect the results. From the insertion of typical values in the equation relating the overall activation energy for weight loss from linear polyethylene to the activation energies of the component steps, a degradation mechanism involving scission β to allyl groups, with rapid hydrogen abstraction, slower subsequent β scission, and bimolecular termination, is indicated. The activation energy of β scission for secondary alkyl radicals is estimated to be 33 kcal/mol. The reason for the lower activation energies in N₂ is related to the effects of preformed molecules. The average molecular weights of the volatiles in vacuum and for 8 and 800 mmHg N₂ have been shown to be in the ratios 1 to 1/4 to 1/10, respectively, at these imposed rates of weight loss. The activation energies to use for the initial stage of degradation are 70.6 kcal/mol (295 kJ/mol) in vacuum and 67.8 kcal/mol (284 kJ/mol) at atmospheric pressure.     

Thermal analysis of polysiloxanes. II. Thermal vacuum degradation of polysiloxanes with different substituents on silicon and in the main siloxane chain

Thermogravimetric (TG) investigations of various substituted polysiloxanes of the type \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \rlap{--} ({\rm R}_1 {\rm R}_2 {\rm SiO\rlap{--} )}_n $\end{document} have been carried out in vacuo and the activation energies for the depolymerization processes calculated from the resulting thermograms. (R₁ and R₂ are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, trifluoropropyl, or phenyl.) It is postulated that the activation energy is mainly a function of the inductive effect of the substituent group and that electron-withdrawing groups attached to silicon increase the activation energy, whereas electron-donating groups decrease it. A linear relation is found between the Taft constant σ^* for the substituent on silicon and the calculated activation energy for depolymerization. Product analysis results from isothermal degradations indicate that the degradation mechanism in a silmethylene siloxane polymer and a silethylene-siloxane polymer is very similar to that in polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS). For the \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \rlap{--} ({\rm R}_1 {\rm R}_2 {\rm SiO\rlap{--} )}_n $\end{document} polymers, the amount of cyclotrisiloxane in the degradation products increases with the size of the substituent on silicon, and it is postulated that the rate of depolymerization is mainly influenced by short-range steric interactions between the substituents on the silicon atoms of the siloxane chain.     

Poly(ethylene sulfide). II. Thermal degradation and stabilization

High molecular weight poly(ethylene sulfide) undergoes severe thermal degradation at the high temperatures (220–260°C) required for processing in injection-molding equipment. Thermal degradation of the polymer is accompanied by gas evolution and a decrease in melt viscosity. Stabilization of poly(ethylene sulfide) can be effectively accomplished by addition of small concentrations of certain 1,2-polyamines, preferably together with certain zinc salts as coadditives. Use of this stabilizer system inhibits thermal degradation to a remarkable extent, making it possible to mold the polymer at these high temperatures and obtain excellent physical and mechanical properties. Investigation of the thermal degradation process was carried out. The rate at which gases evolved from unstabilized poly(ethylene sulfide) resins of various molecular weights and preparative histories and from model compounds of the same organic backbone structure was measured at temperatures ranging from 220 to 260°C. Rate of gas evolution from the resins, irrespective of chain length or preparation, was found to be constant at 230°C. The evolved gases, analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography, contained ethylene. Nearly identical apparent activation energies were found for the gas evolution reaction from the resin and model compounds. The ΔE^* values were in good agreement with ΔE^* determined by other techniques, 58 ± 2 kcal/mole. This is about the energy requirement expected for the homolytic cleavage of a carbon–sulfur bond of the type present in a poly(ethylene sulfide) structure. The rate and analytical data indicate that the degradative mechanism at processing (molding) temperatures is primarily due to the organic structure of the polymer. A mechanism of thermal stabilization is proposed in which the polyamine and zinc salt, in presence of molten polymer at processing temperatures, form a two-centered electron transfer complex, capable of reacting with both radicals of the homolytically cleaved bond, “healing” the scission, so to speak.     

A Thermal Decomposition and Glass Transition Temperature Study of Poly(p-chlorostyrene)

Abstract

The thermal decomposition and the glass transition temperature of poly(p-chlorostyrene) (PpCIS) were studied with a Model 2 differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The undecom-posed and decomposed polymers were analyzed by gel permeation chromatography for molecular weight distributions and by DSC for changes in the polymer glass transition temperature. The decomposition of PpCIS under isothermal conditions during 50 min intervals at various temperatures or at a fixed temperature (320°C) but for different periods is characterized by the disappearance of increasing quantities of high molecular weight polymer and the appearance of low molecular weight products. Random scissions have been shown to break down the polymer chains which depolymerize into volatile products. Activation energy (72 kcal/mole) for the decomposition of PpCIS is lower than that (103 kcal/mole) for the decomposition of polystyrene.     

Proton NMR study of molecular motion in polydimethylsiloxane

Proton spin–lattice relaxation times T₁ were measured for two samples of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), one with weight-average molecular weight M_w = 77,400 and the other with M_w = 609,000. Two T₁ minima and a T₁ discontinuity were observed for each compound. The high-temperature T₁ minima were attributed to a stretching and flexing motion of the PDMS chain. Quantitative comparison of the relaxation data with a theoretical model developed for this motion allowed the activation energy, 2.3 kcal/mole, and the maximum angular displacement of the methyl group symmetry axis to be determined. The latter was found to be 31°, independent of sample molecular weight. The low-temperature minima were ascribed to methyl reorientation with an activation energy of 1.6 kcal/mole. The T₁ discontinuities were attributed to melting and allowed the degree of crystallinity to be estimated.     

Kinetics of the I2-catalyzed isomerization of allyl chloride to cis- and trans-1-chloro-1-propene. The stabilization energy of the chloroallyl radical

The I₂-catalyzed isomerization of allyl chloride to cis- and trans- l-chloro-l-propene was measured in a static system in the temperature range 225–329°C. Propylene was found as a side product, mainly at the lower temperatures. The rate constant for an abstraction of a hydrogen atom from allyl chloride by an iodine atom was found to obey the equation log [k,/M^?1 sec^?1] = (10.5 ± 0.2) ?; (18.3 ± 10.4)/θ, where θ is 2.303RT in kcal/mole. Using this activation energy together with 1 ± 1 kcal/mole for the activation energy for the reaction of HI with alkyl radicals gives DH⁰ (CH₂CHCHCl? H) = 88.6 ± 1.1 kcal/mole, and 7.4 ± 1.5 kcal/mole as the stabilization energy (SE) of the chloroallyl radical. Using the results of Abell and Adolf on allyl fluoride and allyl bromide, we conclude DH⁰ (CH₂CHCHF? H) = 88.6 ± 1.1 and DH⁰ (CH₂CHCHBr? H) = 89.4 ± 1.1 kcal/ mole; the SE of the corresponding radicals are 7.4 ± 2.2 and 7.8 ± 1.5 kcal/mole. The bond dissociation energies of the C? H bonds in the allyl halides are similar to that of propene, while the SE values are about 2 kcal/mole less than in the allyl radical, resulting perhaps more from the stabilization of alkyl radicals by α-halogen atoms than from differences in the unsaturated systems.     

Kinetic study of the γ radiolysis of polyethylene

A kinetic study was made of the formation of hydrogen and trans-vinylene unsaturation in the radiolysis of polyethylene induced by γ rays with a dose rate of 6.35 × 10⁵ rad/hr at 30–100°C in vacuo. The rates of the formation of hydrogen and trans-vinylene unsaturation were described by the zero-order formation kinetics with respect to each concentration combined with the first-order disappearance. The apparent rate constant for the formation of hydrogen increased gradually with rising irradiation temperature to give the activation energy of 0.6 kcal/mole. On the other hand, those for the disappearance of hydrogen and the formation and disappearance of trans-vinylene unsaturation were almost independent of temperature. The G values for crosslinking and main-chain scission were obtained from the gel data by using the Charlesby-Pinner equation, and the activation energy of 1.5 kcal/mole was given for both of them. On the basis of these results the reactions induced by γ rays in solid polyethylene were discussed.     

Study of the thermal degradation of poly(furfuryl methacrylate) by thermogravimetry

The thermal degradation of poly(furfuryl methacrylate) (PFM) has been studied by means of dynamic thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in the temperature range 100–600°C under nitrogen and oxygen atmospheres at various heating rates, and the apparent activation energy for the interval 230–340°C corresponding to the first degradation step was determined. Isothermal TGA at 250°C, 275°C and 300°C was carried out and the apparent activation energy values obtained were compared with those determined in dynamic experiments. The residues from isothermal degradation experiments were analysed by infrared spectroscopy and the results seem to indicate that in the thermal degradation of PFM the formation of cyclic structures of 2,4-dimethylglutaric anhydride occurs in the macromolecular chains, together with partial depolymerization of polymer segments, as well as intermolecular crosslinking through oxidation of the C---H bond in position 5 of some furfuryl rings.     

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 of cellulose in nitrogen

The thermal degradation of four different forms of cellulose in nitrogen has been studied by using a thermobalance. In TG experiments a total weight loss at 900°C was 80% in the cases of film and pulp samples and 83% for two powder forms. The results for the isothermal degradation of the four samples at 270°C are plotted as degree of degradation α against reduced time t/t_0.5 and compared with the master plots of Sharp, Brindley, and Achar. The experimental data fit most closely the plot for the Avrami-Erofeev equation in the form kt = {–ln (1–α)}^1/n where n = 2. An activation energy of 144 kJ/mole has been found for the degradation of one of the celluloses from the results of isothermal runs at six different temperatures. It is postulated here that the thermal degradation occurs by random nucleation and nucleus growth in the cellulose fibrils so as to yield a carbon whose microporous structure is a replica of the pore system in the parent cellulose.     

Solid-state polymerization of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane initiated by cobalt-60 γ-radiation

The solid-state polymerization of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane appears to proceed “insource” by an ionic mechanism and has an overall activation energy of 0.4 kcal./mole with an intensity dependency of 0.99. There is a rapid increase in the rate of polymerization just prior to the melting point and a very low rate for the liquid-phase reaction. Limiting conversions of 5% polymer are observed at ?196°C. for irradiation in vacuo. No limiting conversion was observed when the monomer was polymerized in the presence of air or in vacuo at ?78°C. Under all polymerization conditions the reactions were characterized by the absence of an induction period.     

Thermal degradation of a polyphenylimide-quinoxaline in air and under vacuum

Three samples of poly{2,2′-[N,N′-bis(1,4-phenylene)benzophenone-3,3′,4,4′-tetracarboxylimide-6,6′-bis(3-phenyl-quinoxaline)]} (PPIQ), were prepared, differing in molecular weights and polymer chain endings. Their thermal degradation in vacuo and in air was determined by isothermal weight loss measurements. As in the case of poly-[2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)-6,6′-bis(3-phenylquinoxaline)] (PPQ), the temperature coefficients of thermal degradation in air were independent of molecular weight. However, in contrast, the temperature coefficients were independent of the type of polymer endgroups. It is, therefore, concluded that, contrary to amino-terminated PPQ's, polymer chain-end unzipping of PPIQ is of minor importance during thermal-oxidative degradation.