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Thermal degradation of ethyleneurea formaldehyde polycondensates
Author(s) -
Camino Giovanni,
Luda Maria Paola,
Costa Luigi,
Guaita Marino
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.1996.021970104
Subject(s) - condensation polymer , polymer , formaldehyde , chemistry , polymer chemistry , methane , degradation (telecommunications) , fraction (chemistry) , condensation , boiling , carbon monoxide , reaction mechanism , crystallization , branching (polymer chemistry) , chemical engineering , condensation reaction , organic chemistry , catalysis , telecommunications , physics , computer science , engineering , thermodynamics
The mechanism of thermal degradation of the polymer obtained by polycondensation of ethyleneurea with formaldehyde was studied in detail using several techniques. On heating the polymer undergoes crystallisation at about 175°C. Upon melting (at 355°C) further condensation of ethyleneurea with formaldehyde takes place with elimination of water. This process overlaps with the degradation of the polymer which occurs with formation of a complex mixture of volatile products and of a charred residue. The largest fraction of the volatile products of degradation is a low boiling mixture of ethyleneurea with chain fragments containing NH, N‐methyl and unsaturated structures as end groups. A small fraction of gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc. is also evolved. A degradation mechanism is proposed, which accounts for the experimental results.