The thermal degradation of various vinyl polyperoxides (poly(styrene peroxide) [PSP], poly(methyl methacrylate peroxide) [PMMAP], poly(α-methyl styrene peroxide) [PAMSP]) and their binary copolyperoxides (PSP-PAMSP [SA], PSP-PMMAP [SM], PAMSP-PMMAP [AM]) were studied in a Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA). The thermal stability of the polyperoxides is in the order of PMMAP>SM>AM>SA>PSP>PAMSP. The addition of PAMSP to PSP showed a synergistic effect with higher thermal stability of the copolymer while the addition of PAMSP or PSP to PMMAP did not affect the thermal degradation of the copolymers. A method based on regression was proposed to determine the degradation parameters. The activation energies of degradation for the homopolyperoxides and copolyperoxides were determined by various methods and found in agreement with each other. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Giridhar Madras

Department of Chemical Engineering

G. Sivalingam

P. De

R. Karthik

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Journal	Polymer Degradation and Stability
ISSN	01413910