Thermal Studies of Metal Poly(Butyl Methacrylates) Part XIII

Abstract Metal poly(butyl methacrylates) polymers were obtained by radical polymerization with benzoyl peroxide. The monomer was cocondensed with the metals: Cu, Ag, Au, Pd, Zn, Cd, Ga, In, Ge, Sn, Sb and Bi. The metals were evaporated to produce atoms and with the monomer they can generate a matrix at 77 K. After the warm up process, metal-monomer colloids can be obtained. The colloids were polymerized with benzoyl peroxide at 70°C for 0.5 h at 70°C. Four different initiator concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.25 and 5.0 mol%) were used. The yields are over 50% and the viscosimetric molecular weight range from 104-105 g/mol. The higher Mv are Sb, In, Ag and Ge-poly(butyl methacrylates). The thermal stabilities of these metal polymers have been studied by thermogravimetry (TG) between 25 and 550°C under nitrogen flow. The decomposition temperature was obtained from the maximum of the first derivative from TG curve. The kinetic parameters of the thermal decomposition were determined by the Arrhenius equation. All these polymers degrade in a single step around 300°C. The kinetic data thus obtained show the thermostabilities decrease in the order: Pd-PBMA > Au-PBMA > In-PBMA > Sn-PBMA > Ag-PBMA > Sb-PBMA > Bi-PBMA > Ge-PBMA > Zn-PBMA > Ga-PBMA > Cu-PBMA > Cd-PBMA. The thermal stability apparently is depending upon the metal incorporated in the polymer matrix. The decomposition reaction order is - 0.25 or - 0.5 which means that we are in the presence of a complex single decomposition reaction. The pre-exponential factor, the activation energy, the reaction order and the decomposition temperature for all the polymers have been determined. Key Words: Metal polymersmonomer colloidsmetal vapormolecular weightthermogravimetrydecomposition temperature