Unraveling the mechanism of thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of tannic acid

Abstract The thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of hydrolysable tannin, i.e. tannic acid is reported. The study on thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation mechanism of tannic acid was carried out by using several advanced thermal characterization techniques such as Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy (TGA–FTIR), pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (Py–GC–MS) and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)–FTIR. The condensed phase and gaseous phase degradation studies were combined to deduce a probable degradation pathway for tannic acid molecule at high temperature under nitrogen and air atmosphere.