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Thermogravimetric kinetics of polymer degradation: Science or fiction?
Author(s) -
Schneider Hans Adam
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.760321719
Subject(s) - thermogravimetry , kinetic energy , thermogravimetric analysis , kinetics , degradation (telecommunications) , materials science , polymer , volatility (finance) , thermodynamics , thermal stability , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , computer science , physics , mathematics , econometrics , telecommunications , quantum mechanics , engineering
Weight changes in thermogravimetry are dependent on the volatility of the degradation products. Thus, molecular weight determinations (or related studies) must fist be undertaken to prove whether or not nonvolatile chain fragments will be removed only at high temperatures. In this case both thermal stability and kinetic studies by thermogravimetry are senseless. But even if volatile products are formed, the kinetic parameters will depend on the conversion degrees because of the kinetic chain character of the polymer degradation. Changes in reaction mechanism aggravate the situation; it is thus problematic to define in such conditions reliable kinetic parameters. Values calculated from a single TG curve are valid for specific conditions only, but of no sense from the general kinetic view.