DEGRADATION OF POLY(ARYLENEPHTHALIDE)S IN AIR AND UNDER VACUUM

Degradation of poly(arylenephthalide)s in air and under vacuum was stu died in a wide temperature range. It was shown that the ratio between the reactions of polymer chain breaking and their cross-linking is det ermined by the chemical structure of the polymer backbone and is assoc iated with the activity of radicals produced by thermal decomposition of the side phthalide groups. For all the studied polymers, the degree of gel swelling decreases linearly with the increasing content of the gel fraction and is independent of the atmosphere (air or vacuum), in which the aging of poly(arylenephthalide)s takes place.