Thermal degradation studies of PVC with time‐resolved pyrolysis GC and derivative TGA

Abstract

Abstract This thermal degradation study reports the application of “time‐resolved” pyrolysis gas chromatography (PGC) in addition to derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTGA) to a series of PVC homopolymers with differing branch content and to a model copolymer series with low amounts of propylene in an otherwise vinyl chloride chain. Benzene and toluene generation and decay envelopes were determined during the controlled thermal degradation and related to the derivative TGA experiments. These data allowed interpretation as to the microstructure of the respective polymers and its effect on the degradative pathways. It was concluded that the branch content was not a dominant factor in the initiation of thermal degradation, although it was a factor in other stages of the complex mechanism. A unique fragmentation step was noted only under oxidative thermal exposures, which gave additional support for the theory of low‐level unsaturation sites as being significant triggers in the decomposition mechanism.