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Stabilizing effect of oxygen on thermal degradation of poly(methyl methacrylate)
Author(s) -
Peterson Jeffery D.,
Vyazovkin Sergey,
Wight Charles A.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3927(19990901)20:9<480::aid-marc480>3.0.co;2-7
Subject(s) - degradation (telecommunications) , oxygen , decomposition , polymer , thermal decomposition , methyl methacrylate , nitrogen , polymer chemistry , thermal stability , poly(methyl methacrylate) , thermal , methacrylate , chemical decomposition , materials science , polymer degradation , chemical engineering , chemistry , photochemistry , copolymer , organic chemistry , composite material , thermodynamics , telecommunications , physics , computer science , engineering
The thermal degradation of poly(methyl methacrylate) has been studied under nitrogen and air. The presence of oxygen increases the initial decomposition temperature by 70°C. The stabilizing effect of oxygen is explained by the formation of thermally stable radical species that suppress unzipping of the polymer. This assumption is supported by the experimental fact that introduction of NO into the gaseous atmosphere increases the initial decomposition temperature by more than 100°C.