Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry
Volume/Issue:
Volume 89: Issue 2
The utilization of TG/GC/MS in the establishment of the mechanism of poly(styrene) degradation
Author:
Bob Howell Central Michigan University Center for Applications in Polymer Science Mt. Pleasant MI 48859-0001 USA

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Pages:
393–398
Online Publication Date:
19 Jul 2007
Publication Date:
01 Aug 2007
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-006-8152-7
Keywords:
defect structures; degradation mechanism; fully head-to-tail poly(styrene); poly(styrene) degradation; poly(styrene) microstructure; thermal stability
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Abstract  

General purpose poly(styrene) is a large volume commodity polymer used in a variety of applications. It is widely used in food packaging, particularly for baked goods. In this application, the presence of styrene monomer, which has a distinctive taste and aroma, cannot be tolerated. Processing of the polymer and forming of the food container at an unacceptably high temperature leads to the formation of styrene monomer and finished articles with unacceptable aroma characteristics. An examination of the thermal degradation of poly(styrene) has revealed the origin of monomer formation. The thermal decomposition of poly(styrene) has been widely studied. However, most studies have been carried out at high temperature (>300�C) where many processes are occurring simultaneously. Degradation at lower temperature, 280�C, occurs in two well-defined steps. The first is thermolysis of a head-to-head bond present in the mainchain as a consequence of polymerization termination by radical coupling. This generates macroradicals which smoothly depolymerize to expel styrene monomer. The nature of the degradation is readily apparent from kinetic analysis of the isothermal thermogravimetry (TG) data and the identity of the single volatile product may be readily established by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the effluent from the TG analysis.

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Cover Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry
Print ISSN:
1388-6150
Online ISSN:
1572-8943

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry
Language English
Size A4
Year of
Foundation		 1969
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 24
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 1388-6150 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2926 (Online)

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