Study of the mechanism of polysulfone decomposition by pyrolysis/gas chromatography and pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract Both co‐ and terpolysulfones have been flash‐pyrolyzed at high temperature followed by separation and identification of the products by gas chromatography and/or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. As expected, most of the products were the corresponding olefin and SO 2 . Additionally, higher molecular weight products, including aromatics, and olefin isomerization products, were produced. Mechanisms for initiation and formation of the higher molecular weight products are presented which include the back reaction of intermediate free radicals to abstract hydrogen or to form CC bonds followed by expulsion of SO 2 . The free‐radical intermediates formed by the SO 2 expulsion undergo transformations to give the aromatic products. No breakdown products were found with either O or S present, nor was SO 2 H found.