The effects of triphenylphosphate and recorcinolbis(diphenylphosphate) on the thermal degradation of polycarbonate in air

• Published in: Thermochimica acta Vol. 433; no. 1; pp. 1 - 12
• Main Authors: Jang, Bok Nam, Wilkie, Charles A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.08.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Compounding ingredients; Exact sciences and technology; Fire retardancy; Fireproof agents; Polycarbonate; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Resorcinoldiphosphate; Technology of polymers; Thermal degradation; Triphenylphosphate; Fire retardancy; Polycarbonate; Triphenylphosphate; Resorcinoldiphosphate; Thermal degradation; Pyrolysis; Fourier transformation; Coupled method; Thermogravimetry; Air; Phosphorus Organic compounds; Fire retardant; Phosphorus polymer; Infrared spectrometry; Gas chromatography; Organic phosphate; Thermal analysis; Mass spectrometry
• ISSN: 0040-6031; 1872-762X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tca.2005.01.071

The thermal degradation of polycarbonate/triphenylphosphate (PC/TPP) and PC/resocinolbis(diphenylphosphate) (PC/RDP) in air has been studied using TGA/FTIR and GC/MS. In PC/phosphate blends, the phosphate stabilizes the carbonate group of polycarbonate from alcoholysis between the alcohol products of polycarbonate degradation and the carbonate linkage. Thus, the evolution of bisphenol A, which is mainly produced via hydrolysis/alcoholysis of the carbonate linkage, is significantly reduced, while, the evolution of various alkylphenols and diarylcarbonates increases. The bonds that are broken first in the thermal degradation of both the carbonate and isopropylidene linkages of polycarbonate are the weakest bonds in each, when a phosphate is present. Triphenylphosphate and resocinolbis(diphenyl-phosphate), even though they exhibit a significant difference in their volatilization temperature, appear to play a similar role in the degradation pathway of polycarbonate.