Thermal decomposition kinetics of polypyrrole and its star shaped copolymer

Thermal behavior of 2,4,6-tris(4-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)phenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine monomer, polypyrrole, and their star shaped copolymer, were investigated using TG and DTA methods. It was found that Tria melts at 517 K and after than it starts to decompose. Decomposition proceeded in two stages which were corresponding to removal of branched groups and remaining core structure degradation, respectively. Polypyrrole and copolymer showed similar thermal behaviors. These compounds decomposed in three stages which are removal of solvent, removal of dopant anion and rest of structure decomposition. The calculation of activation energies of all reactions were realized using model-free (KAS and FWO) methods. The graphs were prepared which show the alteration of activation energy with decomposition ratio. Thermal analysis results showed that dopant anion and solvent removal activation energy values for copolymer are lower than polypyrrole. Star shaped loose-packed novel structure greatly facilitates solvent and dopant anion removal from copolymer. It can be concluded also that thermal analysis can be used as predict package structure of conducting polymers.