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A thermal decomposition study of polymers by tunable synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Li Jiao,
Cai Jianghuai,
Yuan Tao,
Guo Huijun,
Qi Fei
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.3999
Subject(s) - photoionization , chemistry , thermal decomposition , mass spectrometry , polystyrene , synchrotron , analytical chemistry (journal) , mass spectrum , polymer , decomposition , synchrotron radiation , photochemistry , organic chemistry , ionization , ion , optics , chromatography , physics
The thermal decomposition of polymers (poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and polystyrene (PS)) has been studied with synchrotron VUV photoionization mass spectrometry at low pressure. Pyrolysis products formed at different temperatures have been identified by the measurement of photoionization mass spectra at different photon energies. The experimental results demonstrate the variation of the pyrolysis product pool of PVC at different temperatures, dividing the thermal decomposition process into two stages: the low‐temperature stage to form HCl and benzene, and the high‐temperature stage to form numerous large aromatic hydrocarbons. For the thermal decomposition of PS, four reaction categories are determined. This work reports a new application of synchrotron VUV photoionization mass spectrometry in the study of the thermal decomposition of polymers, and demonstrates its good performance in product analysis, which is expected to help understand the thermal decomposition mechanism of PVC, PS and other synthesized polymers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.