Abstract

The thermal stabilities of metal poly(ethyl methacrylates) (PEMA) have been studied by thermogravimetry (TG) between 25 and 550 degrees C under nitrogen flow. The kinetic data for Pd-FEMA decreases with the lowering of molecular weights fraction. In general, the thermostabilities decrease in the order Cu-PEMA > Ge-PEMA > Pd > PEMA > Au-PEMA > Al-PEMA > Cd-PEMA > In-PEMA > Zn-PEMA > Sn-PEMA > Ag-PEMA > Ga-PEMA suggesting that thermal stability is depending upon the thermal conductivity of the metal incorporated in the backbone polymer. It was observed that metals with higher thermal conductivity exhibit higher thermal decomposition temperature (T-D). The order of reaction for the thermal decomposition of these metal polymers was found to be zero. The pre-exponential factor, the reaction order and the activation energy of the decomposition for metal poly(ethyl methacrylates) have been determined.