Abstract

Poly(N-1-alkylitaconamic acid) (PNAIA) containing ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, decyl and dodecyl groups and random N-1-alkylitaconamic acid-co-styrene copolymers (NAIA-co-S) of three different compositions were selected and studied by dynamic thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermal stability of homopolymers and copolymers depends on the structure of the NAIA and on the composition of the copolymer. The kinetic analysis of the degradation data shows that the thermal decomposition of the PNAIA can be described by zero order kinetic model. In the case of NAIA-co-S copolymers, the degradation process can be described by two different kinetic orders depending on the copolymer and on the composition. The thermal stability of the PNAIA in general increases as the length of the side chain increases. In the case of copolymers with styrene the relative thermal stability depends clearly on the composition and on the type of substituent in the side chain. Copyright © 2003 Taylor & Francis.