Thermal analysis techniques including thermal gravimetric analysis (TG
A), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and TG-FTIR were employed to
investigate the thermal decomposition behaviours of poly(propylene car
bonate) as a neat polymer and in the presence of AIN powder. It was fo
und that the decomposition of poly(propylene carbonate) followed a dep
olymerisation mechanism and left no detectable residues. The combustio
n reaction in air enhanced the decomposition of the PPC binder in air
only slightly compared to acrylic and PVB binders. In the presence of
AIN powder, the PPC binder left primarily ''gas phase mediated char''
on the powder surface. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited and Techna S.
r.l. All rights reserved.