THERMAL-DEGRADATION OF POLYBIS(P-ISOPROPYLPHENOXY)-PHOSPHAZENE

In the reported experiments, polybis(p-isopropylphenoxy)phosphazene was treated thermally at 100, 135, 200, and 300 degree C. The resulting reductions in weight-average molecular weights were monitored by gel-permeation chromatography, and the experimental observations led to the adoption of a random chain-scission model. An effective energy of activation and entropy of activation were calculated for the degradation process, and these values were found to be consistent with a random-scission model. The analysis was, in part, based on a computer-simulated first-order degradation model. This polymer showed higher thermal stability than previously reported polyaryloxyphosphazenes.