FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF PVC DECOMPOSITION

The process of PVC decomposition has been studied by FTIR under dynami c conditions. The IR spectra have been directly obtained from PVC film s pyrolyzed ''in situ'' in a specially designed IR cell. A qualitative description of the changes observed in the spectra is presented. Belo w 270 degrees C, the only phenomena observed are shifts in the absorpt ion bands involving chlorine atoms. Nevertheless, above this temperatu re strong modifications of the spectra are observed as a consequence o f the changes produced in the structure of the polymer. Characteristic absorption bands of the polymer disappear, whereas several bands corr esponding to different vibration modes of C=C bonds appear. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Ltd.