Thermal degradation behavior of blends of phenyl methacrylate-styrene copolymers with aluminum isopropoxide

Thermal degradation studies were carried out of copolymer phenyl methacrylate-styrene in the presence of aluminum isopropoxide to assess the stability and alteration of degradation mechanism using thermogravimetry-differential thermogravimetry (TG-DTG) in inert atmosphere and under vacuum using thermal volatilization analysis (TVA). After collecting the condensable volatile degradation products from TVA experiments and separating them by sub-ambient TVA, investigation and identification were effected out by IR spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The degradation products from the blends consisted of some additional products, i.e., isopropanol, phenol, methacrylic acid, ethyl benzene, benzene and a cyclic compound apart from similar products obtained from the degradation of pure copolymers. The mechanism of newly formed degradation products has been discussed in detail.