Thermal Stability of Poly(hexamethylene Oxide) Related to the Method of Synthesis

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Abstract
Thermal degradation of poly(hexamethylene oxide) has been studied by thermogravimetry and gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). The method of polymerization clearly influences the thermal stability of PHMO, as it affects the nature of the end-groups of the polymer. Polymers ending in OH groups, prepared by polycondensation, have a lower thermal stability than those obtained by cationic ring-opening polymeriztion, and both are still lower in thermal stability than the polymers capped with methoxy groups. The main differences in the degradation products are that oxepane is formed only from polymers with OH endgroups and in this case two different mechanisms of degradation are proposed.