Thermal decomposition behaviour of poly(propylene carbonate)

Thermal analysis techniques including thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and TG-FTIR were employed to investigate the thermal decomposition behaviours of poly(propylene carbonate) as a neat polymer and in the presence of AIN powder. It was found that the decomposition of poly(propylene carbonate) followed a depolymerisation mechanism and left no detectable residues. The combustion reaction in air enhanced the decomposition of the PPC binder in air only slightly compared to acrylic and PVB binders. In the presence of AIN powder, the PPC binder left primarily "gas phase mediated char" on the powder surface. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited and Techna S.r.l. All rights reserved.