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Thermal desorption gas chromatography with mass spectrometry study of outgassing from polymethacrylimide foam (Rohacell®)
Author(s) -
CarrascoCorrea Enrique J.,
HerreroMartínez José M.,
Consuegra Lina,
RamisRamos Guillermo,
Sanz Rafael Mata,
Martínez Benito Gimeno,
Esbert Vicente E. Boria,
GarcíaBaquero David Raboso
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of separation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.72
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1615-9314
pISSN - 1615-9306
DOI - 10.1002/jssc.201500311
Subject(s) - outgassing , mass spectrometry , thermal desorption , chemistry , isobutylene , gas chromatography , thermogravimetric analysis , desorption , chromatography , analytical chemistry (journal) , volatilisation , organic chemistry , adsorption , copolymer , polymer
Polymethacrylimide foams are used as light structural materials in outer‐space devices; however, the foam closed cells contain volatile compounds that are outgassed even at low temperatures. These compounds ignite as plasmas under outer‐space radiation and the intense radio‐frequency fields used in communications. Since plasmas may cause spacecraft fatal events, the conditions in which they are ignited should be investigated. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative knowledge about polymethacrylimide foam outgassing should be established. Using thermogravimetric analysis, weight losses reached 3% at ca. 200°C. Thermal desorption gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection was used to study the offgassed compounds. Using successive 4 min heating cycles at 125°C, each one corresponding to an injection, significant amounts of nitrogen (25.3%), water (2.6%), isobutylene (11.3%), tert ‐butanol (2.9%), 1‐propanol (11.9%), hexane (25.3%), propyl methacrylate (1.4%), higher hydrocarbons (11.3%), fatty acids (2.2%) and their esters (1.3%), and other compounds were outgassed. Other compounds were observed during the main stage of thermal destruction (220–280°C). A similar study at 175°C revealed the extreme difficulty in fully outgassing polar compounds from polymethacrylimide foams by baking and showed the different compositions of the offgassed atmosphere that can be expected in the long term.