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Thermal degradation of poly(methyl methacrylate) at 50°C to 125°C
Author(s) -
Martin Jonathan W.,
Dickens Brian,
Waksman David,
Bentz Dale P.,
Byrd W. Eric,
Embree Edward,
Roberts Willard E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1987.070340130
Subject(s) - radical , monomer , methyl methacrylate , chain termination , polymer chemistry , polymerization , beta scission , methacrylate , thermal decomposition , polymer , bond cleavage , degradation (telecommunications) , decomposition , radical polymerization , chemistry , reaction rate constant , materials science , kinetics , organic chemistry , radical substitution , telecommunications , physics , quantum mechanics , computer science , catalysis
Small but significant numbers of chain scissions occur in a commercial poly(methyl methacrylate) sheet exposed to temperatures between 50 and 125°C. The scission rate is initially high and then levels off to a constant rate. The short‐time rate of chain scissions is temperature dependent, while the long‐time rate of chain scissions appears to be temperature independent. Four possible sources of random chain scission initiation were considered: (1) the presence of unreacted initiators of polymerization, (2) free radicals generated from additives in the commercial film, (3) weak links in the polymer chain, and (4) free radicals generated from the thermal decomposition of an oxidation product of methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer. The source most consistent with our results is the one involving free radicals generated from the oxidation product of MMA monomer.