Degradation and Stabilization of Poly(propylene carbonate)

Abstract

Low-molecular-weight poly(propylene carbonate) resins, useful for polyurethane preparation, surfactant production and many other purposes, were obtained by copolymerization of CO2 and propylene oxide. This study describes an investigation into their stability against thermal degradation, offers details of the random chain-breaking and “unzipping” processes, and suggests possible methods to avoid degradation.