Investigation of the Thermal Stability and Char-Forming Tendency of Cross-Linked Poly(methyl methacrylate).
Investigation of the Thermal Stability and Char-Forming
Tendency of Cross-Linked Poly(methyl methacrylate).
(1076 K)
Lomakin, S. M.; Brown, J. E.; Breese, R. S.; Nyden, M.
R.
Polymer Degradation and Stability, Vol. 41, 229-243,
1993.
Keywords:
polymethyl methacrylate; thermal stability; char
formation; crosslinking; thermal degradation
Abstract:
The thermal degradation of two network copolymers of
methyl methacrylate was studied as a function of the
chemical nature of the cross-linking agent and the
frequency of cross-links. Unlike the linear
homopolymer, both the trimethylopropane triacrylate and
trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate networks were found
to char when burned. The corresponding derivative
thermograms indicate that there are dramatic differences
in the thermal degradation of these polymers even in the
absence of oxygen. These differences are interpreted in
terms of a simple model for the kinetics of
depolymerization.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899