THE THERMAL-DEGRADATION KINETICS OF POLY(DI-N-ALKYL ITACONATES)

The non-oxidative thermal degradation kinetics of poly(di-n-alkyl itaconates), ranging from the methyl to the n-octyl derivatives, were studied by non-isothermal and isothermal TG. The thermal degradation activation energy and characteristic mass loss temperatures were found to decrease with increasing substituent size. The shapes of the DTG curves were dependent on the size of the alkyl substituent. The different DTG maxima were ascribed to various modes of initiation of depolymerisation. The thermal stability of poly(di-n-hexyl itaconate) was found to be independent of the initial molar mass of the sample in the range of M(w)BAR from 10(4) to 10(7) g/mol.