The effect of stereoregularity on the thermal behavior of poly(methacrylic acid)s .1. Thermal analysis studies

The thermal degradation of a series of poly(methacrylic acid)s (PMADs) with different tacticities has been investigated under inert atmosphere. All the samples showed two main degradation stages. The first decomposition process of isotactic PMAD consisted of the formation of anhydride groups, almost quantitatively, by dehydration. In the case of PMADs with lower isotactic content, the elimination of water between neighboring carboxylic groups is less favored and the anhydridization shifts at higher temperatures where other degradation reactions may take place at the same time. The temperatures of maximum volatilization rates at the second step of decomposition increased in the order isotactic > atactic > syndiotactic.