Thermal decomposition of γ‐ray irradiated poly(vinylidene fluoride) and the copolymer of vinylidene difluoride with vinyl fluoride

Abstract

Abstract The thermal decomposition of γ‐irradiated poly(vinylidene flouride) and the copolymer of vinylidene difluoride and vinyl fluoride has been investigated by means of thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and mass spectral analysis of the evolved gas. Under non‐isothermal conditions (heating rate = 2 K min −1 ), polymers were found to lose their weight in two stages. The main process of the weight loss was the splitting‐off of HF. Various aromatic compounds containing F were also observed to evolve, although their contribution to the total weight loss was small. For the volatilization reaction occurring at high temperature, initiation through random chain scission was suggested. Kinetical analysis of TG traces for the volatilization showed that the apparent overall activation energy decreases with increasing dose.