The thermal degradation of polymethacrylates having hyroxy alkyl side group

In this work, 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (PHEMA) were polymerized in methylalcohol solution using AIBN as initiator at 60 °C. The monomers and polymers were characterized by FT-IR and 'H and 13C NMR techniques. The thermal degradation of poly(HEMA), poly(PHEMA) and poly(D-EMA) were studied by thermogravimetry (TG), FT-IR, 'H and 13C NMR and GC-MS. Programmed heating was carried out at 10 "C.min"1 from ambient room temperature 500 °C. The partially degraded polymer was examined by FT-IR spectroscopy technique. Product identification studies were carried out from ambient temperature to 340 °C and from 340 °C to 500 °C. The degradation products were identified by using FT-IR, 'H and 13C NMR and GC-MS techniques. Depolymerization is the main degradation of the poly(HEMA) and poly(PHEMA). In thermal degradation of poly(HEMA), besides HEMA, the dominating compounds were methacrylic acid, vinylmethacrylate, allylmethacrylate, water, ethyleneglycol and 2-izopropenylenoxyethylmethacrylate.Key Words : Synthesis, thermal degradation