INVESTIGATION OF THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION OF CHLORINATED POLYMERS

Major thermal decomposition products from polyvinylidene chloride (PVD C) under two pyrolysis conditions (0% O-2, and 10% O-2) and several di fferent heating rates were determined. Kinetic parameters for the evol ution of the major degradation products for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) a nd PVDC were also determined. Results showed that decomposition produc ts formed were independent of heating rate and degradation atmosphere. Major degradation products from PVDC are HCl, dichlorinated- and tric hlorinated-benzenes. Activation energies and pre-Arrhenius terms were determined for HCl and benzene for PVC and HCl, dichloro- and trichlor o-benzene for PVDC.