A COMPARISON OF THE THERMAL-DEGRADATION BEHAVIOR OF ETHYLENE-ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER, LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE AND POLY(ETHYL ACRYLATE)

The thermal stability of low density polyethylene (LDPE), poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) and ethylene-ethyl acrylate (EEA) copolymer has been investigated in an inert atmosphere using thermogravimetry-differential thermogravimetry (TG-DTG) and under vacuum by thermal volatilisation analysis (TVA). EEA copolymer was also investigated in nitrogen by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and LDPE and EEA copolymer have also been examined in air using TG-DTG. The condensable volatile degradation products from TVA experiments were separated by subambient TVA (SATVA) and investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS) and GC-MS techniques. The cold ring fraction was investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy and GC. Most degradation products from EEA copolymer were similar to degradation products from LDPE or PEA, while others were new. Mechanisms of formation of the degradation products have been disucssed in detail. EEA copolymer is more stable than PEA but less stable than LDPE in an inert atmosphere, while in air it is more stable than LDPE.