Thermal degradation behavior of blends of phenyl methacrylate-styrene copolymers with aluminum isopropoxide

Thermal degradation studies were carried out of copolymer phenyl methacrylate-styrene in the presence of aluminum isopropoxide to assess the stability and alteration of degradation mechanism using thermogravimetry-differential thermogravimetry (TG-DTG) in inert atmosphere and under vacuum using thermal volatilization analysis (TVA). After collecting the condensable volatile degradation products from TVA experiments and separating them by sub-ambient TVA, investigation and identification were effected out by IR spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The degradation products from the blends consisted of some additional products, i.e., isopropanol, phenol, methacrylic acid, ethyl benzene, benzene and a cyclic compound apart from similar products obtained from the degradation of pure copolymers. The mechanism of newly formed degradation products has been discussed in detail. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.