Premium
Sulphurous additives for polystyrene: Influencing decomposition behavior in the condensed phase
Author(s) -
Braun Ulrike,
Eisentraut Paul,
Fuchs Sabine,
Deglmann Peter
Publication year - 2015
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.41665
Subject(s) - polystyrene , styrene , thermogravimetry , thermal decomposition , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , decomposition , polymer , materials science , monomer , phase (matter) , polymer chemistry , chemical process of decomposition , chemical engineering , copolymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , inorganic chemistry , composite material , engineering
The thermal decomposition behaviour of polystyrene (PS) containing sulphur and phosphorus additives was investigated, using thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA‐FTIR). It was found that the additives influence the decomposition process of the polymer in the condensed phase, resulting in a decrease in styrene monomer formation and an increase in styrene oligmer derivatives. Via reference measurements with binary mixtures it was found that the presence of sulphur additives influences the radicalic decomposition process of PS. In combination with quantum chemical calculations it was concluded that this is due to the formation of radicals that abstract hydrogen from the polymer matrix at lower temperatures, disfavouring the radicalic decomposition pathway leading to styrene. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132 , 41665.