Effect of comonomers on thermal degradation of polyacrylonitrile

The thermal degradation of polyacrylonitrile and copolymers of acrylonitrile (AN) with each of vinylacetate (VAC), methallyl sulfonate sodium salt (MASS), and 2-acrylamido 2-methyl propane sulfonate sodium salt (2-AMPSS) i.e., P(AN–VAC), P(AN–MASS), P(AN–AMPSS), and P(AN–VAC–MASS), has been investigated using the technique of thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The initial decomposition temperature (IDT) and integral procedural decomposition temperature (IPDT) for all the copolymers are less than that for polyacrylonitrile irrespective of the nature of the vinyl comonomers. TGA thermograms indicate faster rate of degradation in copolymers compared to polyacrylonitrile. Variation in the glass transition temperature is correlated to the polarity of the functional groups in the polyacrylonitrile copolymers.