| Abstract: | The free radicals in p-polyphenylene and the formation of free radicals in this polymer upon pyrolysis in vacuum have been studied by means of electron spin resonance. For an unpyrolyzed series of polymer samples, a linear relationship was observed between free radical concentration and increasing carbon content. The free radicals observed in the unpyrolyzed samples did not react with NO. When samples of polyphenylene were pyrolyzed, additional free radicals were produced which did react with NO. The growth of free radical concentration upon pyrolysis was observed to be closely related to the production of volatile products from the polymer. In the temperature range 250–600°C, HCl was the principal volatile species produced. Two mechanisms were involved in HCl production: a process with an activation energy of 7.1 kcal/mole which led to the production of stable free radicals; and a process involving 75 kcal/mole which was unconnected with the production of free radicals. From 600 to 700°C, H2 was the principal volatile degradation product. The rate at which H2 was evolved showed a second-order dependence on phenyl units bearing two or three substituents; this process had an activation energy of 79 kcal/mole. Electron spin resonance spectra indicated that this process led to the production of free radicals, and infrared spectra showed that a highly crosslinked product resulted. |
