A study of poly(vinyl alcohol) thermal degradation by thermogravimetry and differential thermogravimetry

Abstract

The thermal degradation of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) having different degrees of hydrolysis and molecular weights was studied by thermogravimetry (TGA) and differential thermogravimetry (DTGA). Four degradation events were identified whose intensity was related to the degree of hydrolysis. It was verified that the solid-state degradation mechanism for high hydrolysis degrees corresponded to eliminating water-forming side groups in stoichiometric amounts. The presence of acetate groups and lower melting points delayed the polymer’s thermal decomposition at lower hydrolysis degrees. There was no direct correlation in these samples between weight-loss during the first degradation event and the stoichiometric quantities which would be produced by eliminating the side groups. Reaction order and energy activation value qualitative coincidence was found by evaluating experimental data by using Freeman-Carroll and Friedman kinetic models.

Keywords

• thermal degradation
• PVA
• thermogravimetry
• polymer degradation