Thermal Degradation Kinetics of Aromatic Copolyamides Containing Phthalazinone Moieties

The kinetics of thermal degradation of aromatic copolyamides containing phthalazinone moieties and ether linkages was studied at several heating rates by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermal-resistance properties of the new polymers did not decrease notably compared with Kevlar(R). The activation energy of the solid-state process was determined using the Kissinger, Friedman and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa methods, and the results indicate an activation energy of more than 160 U mol(-1). The results also show that the longer the flexible spacer in the monomer, the lower the thermal decomposition activation energy of the polymer, and that the presence of the phthalazinone structure increased the thermal decomposition activation energy of the polymers. The mechanism of thermal degradation was R deceleration type as determined by the Coats-Redfern method.