THERMAL-DEGRADATION OF GLYCIDYL METHACRYLATE-STYRENE COPOLYMERS

The thermal degradation of copolymers of glycidyl methacrylate and sty rene was studied by thermal volatilisation analysis (TVA), thermogravi metry (TG) and pyrolysis mass spectrometry. The apparent activation en ergies for the decomposition of copolymers were calculated from the re sults of TG experiments. The condensable volatile products from the TV A experiments have been identified after separation by subambient ther mal volatilisation analysis (SATVA). The cold ring fraction was examin ed by IR spectroscopy. The copolymers are intermediate in stability be tween polystyrene and poly(glycidyl methacrylate). The degradation pro ducts are mainly those expected by comparison with those obtained from the homopolymers. A mechanism of thermal degradation has been suggest ed.