Document byBa0jZNyYkRQbXMdNByR37vZ

L'H.VAL 01* I'OLY.MKIl SC IE\C IS: I'AHT A-l \0L a, laa:-ia<;9 (19T0) High-Temperature Pyrolysis of Poly(vinyl chloride): Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Analysis of the Pyrolysis Products from PYC Resin and Plastisols MICHAEL M. O'MAllA, B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company, Aiwi Lake, Ohio Synopsis A pyrolysis-gas chromatographic-mass spectrnmetric technique for analyzing the pyrolysis products from polymers in an inert atmosphere is described. Initial studies encompassing the pyrolysis of polyfvinyl chloride) homopolymer and a series of FVC plastisols (based on o-phtlialate esters) have provided a complete qualitative and semiquantitative analysis of the pyrolysis products from these materials. PVC resin yields a series of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons when pyrolyzed at 000C; the amount of aromatic products is greater than the amoimt of aliphatic products. Benzene is the jor organic degradation product. A typical PVC plastisol [PVC/e-dioctyl phthalate 0/C0)] yields, upon pyrolysis products that are characteristic of both the PVC matrix and the phthalate plasticizer. The pyrolysis products from the plasticizer dilute those from the PVC portion of the plastisol and are, in turn, the major degradation products. There are no degradation products resulting from an interaction of the PVC with the plastisol. The pyrograms resulting from pyrolysis of the variotis plastisols of PVC can be used for purposes of "fingerprinting." Identification of the major peaks in a typical plastisol pyrogram provides information leading to a precise identification of the plasti cizer. The pyrolysis data from this study were related to a special case of flammability and toxicity. INTRODUCTION The mechanism of the thermal dehydrochlorination of poly(vinyl chlo ride) has been the subject of many studies in the general area of polymer degradation. A number of the important contributions in this area have been reviewed by Levy in two excellent publications.1 * The present paper deals with the identification of the volatile, hydrocarbon pyrolysis products resulting from the thermal degradation of PVC at 000C in an inert (helium) atmosphere. '' The objective of the current study was to obtain a complete profile of the degradation products from PVC resin and PVC plastisols. This study has act-ed as a starting point in an overall study of thermal degradation, com bustion, and flammability of chlorinated polymers. 1087 1970 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.