A RAPID PYROLYSIS MASS-SPECTROMETRY TECHNIQUE FOR THE STUDY OF POLYMERS

Pyrolysis techniques coupled to mass spectrometers are used to investi gate thermal stability, thermal degradation mechanisms and decompositi on products of synthetic polymers. Each pyrolysis technique has its ow n advantages and limitations. The main objective of this study was to investigate the applicability of a rapid pyrolysis mass spectrometry t echnique for thermal analysis of polymers. For this purpose, thermal d egradation of polymers, namely polystyrene, polybutadiene, styrene but adiene rubber, and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer have been studied using a rapid pyrolysis mass spectrometry technique and resul ts were compared with our previous data obtained using direct and indi rect pyrolysis mass spectrometry techniques. Results indicate that not only the pyrolysis technique applied, but also the heating rate, affe cts thermal degradation as expected. It was also shown that the presen t rapid pyrolysis mass spectrometry system is a fast and powerful tech nique in investigating the thermal behavior of homopolymers, and of ra ndom and block copolymers, (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.