THERMAL-DEGRADATION OF POLY(ARYLENE SULFIDES) .5. VACUUM PYROLYSIS OF POLY(1,4-PHENYLENE SULFIDE) IN THE PRESENCE OF POLYSTYRENE PRODUCTS VOLATILE AT PYROLYSIS TEMPERATURE INVOLATILE AT AMBIENT-TEMPERATURE (V-PYZ)

Poly(1,4-phenylene sulphide) (PPS) and polystyrene (PS) have been degraded separately, simultaneously and in admixture by vacuum pyrolysis between 280 and 500 degrees C. The quantity of the V-pyz fraction produced from the PS-PPS systems was dependent on the environment in which degradation occurred. As the pyrolysis temperature increased, the V-pyz weight increased but was greater than that calculated for a linear combination of V-pyz fractions from the individual homopolymers indicative of interactive behaviour. Analysis of the products derived from the PS component suggests that interactive behaviour occurs in the melt, gaseous and condensed phases of these systems.