Isothermal thermogravimetric studies of molten diacetate terminated polyoxymethylene in nitrogen and air

Thermogravimetric studies of diacetate terminated polyoxymethylene in its molten state were made in nitrogen and air atmosphere. They also allow the determination of changes in the thermal stability of the polymer in the course of decomposition. Oxygen has an accelerating effect on the decomposition of the polyoxymethylene. The beginning of the weight loss in air occurs at lower temperatures and its rate increases. The activation energies of the degradation in air and in nitrogen are not very different as compared to the preexponential factors and reaction orders whose values vary considerably.