Thermal degradation of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABS) in
bean oil has been carried out in the temperature 350 and 370 degreesC. The
degradation products have been investigated by means of gel permeation chro
matography (GPC) and fourier transform infra-red spectrometry (FTIR). With
the presence of bean oil, ABS thermally degrades into asphalt-like degradat
ion residue, which is soluble in common organic solvent such as tetrahydrof
uran (THF), instead of monomer and oligomers that are usually generated in
direct pyrolysis of ABS. Moreover, for the system of ABS/bean oil the cross
-linking reaction of ABS with bean oil takes place and forms a polymer netw
ork before the decomposition of ABS. Between the two reaction stages, the p
olymerization or oligomerization of sequence of adjacent nitrile groups occ
urs. The thermal degradation of ABS in bean oil was believed to be a radica
l process, which is dependent on the reaction condition, especially the con
centration of bean oil, reaction temperature and time. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sc
ience Ltd. All rights reserved.