Thermochimica Acta, Vol.503, No.1-2, 70-84, 2010
Crosslink density dependence of polymer degradation kinetics: Photocrosslinked acrylates
A series of crosslinked polyurethane acrylate films with glass transition temperatures ranging from -49 degrees C to +65 degrees C was prepared by photopolymerization of solvent-free resins. The kinetics of thermo-oxidative (in air) and thermal (in N-2) degradation of these crosslinked acrylate networks at temperatures from 100 degrees C to 400 degrees C was monitored thermogravimetricly as a function of crosslink density. Initial degradation rate of polyurethane network decreased with the increase of crosslink density. Apparent activation energies of degradation were found to be temperature and crsosslink density dependent and ranged from 12.6 kJ mol(-1) to 25.1 kJ mol(-1) in 200-300 degrees C interval and 33.5 kJ mol(-1) to 58.6 kJ mol(-1) in 300-400 degrees C interval. The polyacrylate thermal stability increase with crosslinking was correlated with decreased chain segments mobility leading to the reduced oxygen and volatile products diffusion rate, rate of cyclic decarboxylation, and increased radical's recombination in a cage. Data indicated that the cyclic decarboxylation, rather than oxygen uptake or volatile products escape rate control the thermal degradation kinetics. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Polyacrylate;Thermal;Degradation;Kinetics;Crosslink density;Thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry