Some thermodynamic aspects of the thermal degradation of wholly aromatic polyamides

The mechanism of thermal degradation of wholly aromatic polyamides has been investigated in the light of several thermodynamic parameters, such as resonance stabilization of the free radicals formed, bond enthalpy changes and entropy changes. It has been shown that the scission of the NH bond in the beginning is both thermodynamically and kinetically favoured over the scission of the aromatic ring-carbonyl carbon bond. CN bond and the aromatic ringNH bond in the polymer chain backbone. Formation of the major products and some minor products has been explained with the help of the proposed mechanism.