Abstract
The thermal breakdown of several polybenzimidazoles, especially poly2,2′-(m-phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole has been studied in vacuum between 200 and 650°C. Formation of oxygen-containing products, such as water, carbon monoxide,and carbon dioxide led to an investigation about their origin. It was found that polybenzimidazoles have a strong tendency to adsorb water, and that this tendency may be traced to the C=N double bond and/or the imino group. In addition, the polymers must also contain intermediate amide, hydroxy imidazoline or imidazole-water complex structures from incomplete cyclization.
Based on these findings, and on the occurrence of volatiles such as hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, hydrogen and methane, as well as elemental analysis data and infrared spectra, a breakdown mechanism has been proposed.
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Ehlers, G.F.L., Fisch, K.R. (1972). Studies of the Thermal Breakdown of Polybenzimidazoles. In: Wiedemann, H.G. (eds) Thermal Analysis. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-5775-8_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-5775-8_16
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