| Abstract: | The kinetic model of thermooxidative degradation in air, proposed to be valid for poly(2-hexyne) in predicting the lifetime of substituted polyacetylenes, was applied to poly1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] films, with the differences in the oxidative behavior of both polyacetylenes noted. The effect of the molecular weight of the sample on the degradation process was analyzed. Kinetics of weight loss and chain scission were modeled, and the kinetic parameters were calculated. Also, the evolution of weight loss was related to the chain scission. The proposed model was validated with data reported in the literature. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4309–4317, 1999 |
