Evaluation of kinetic parameters of thermal decomposition of native collagen by thermogravimetric analysis

Abstract

Abstract The kinetic parameters associated with the thermal decomposition of native collagen have been obtained by thermogravimetric techniques. In order to achieve this a thermogravimetric analysis was carried out in the temperature range of 25°C to about 1000°C. In this temperature range, it had been found that the differential primary weight loss curve had yielded three distinct peaks for the tendon collagen. The thermal decomposition corresponding to each peak was analyzed to retrieve its kinetic parameters. The peak temperature associated with the first peak decreased as the water content in a sample increased, while that of the second peak was independent of its hydration condition. It is believed that the first and the second peaks are, respectively, results of: ( 1 ) dissociation of water from collagen, and ( 2 ) of breaking of the collagen molecule itself. The third peak has not been easily identified so far. The activation energy and the order of water decomposition are obtained by various known methods. The results obtained by these different approaches agree reasonably well. The kinetic parameters of second and third peak are also obtained and reported here.