Influence of External Conditions on the Relation between the Physical and Chemical Processes in the Thermodegradation of Plasticized Poly(Vinyl Chloride)

The heat-induced loss of plasticizer from and dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with dioctyl phthalate is studied by thermogravimetric analysis, IR spectroscopy, and colorimetry. Specific features and general regularities of the processes at high (200–320°C) and medium (100–132°C) temperatures are established. It is shown that the dehydrochlorination and oxidation processes dominate in confined space whereas, in unconfined space, plasticizer is lost largely through evaporation. The activation energies of the initial stages of the processes are determined.