Thermal Stability and Decomposition Mechanism of Poly(alkylene succinate)s

In the present study, a series of aliphatic polyesters based on succinic acid and several diols with 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 methylene groups, namely poly(ethylene succinate) (PESu), poly(butylene (PBSu), poly(hexylene (PHSu), poly(octylene (POSu), poly(decylene (PDeSu), were prepared via two-stage melt polycondensation method. All semicrystalline materials Tm ranging from 64.2 to 117.8 °C, while their Tg values progressively decreasing by increasing group number in used diols. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that synthesized poly(alkylene succinate)s high thermal stability maximum decomposition rates at temperatures 420–430 °C. The mechanism was also evaluated aid Pyrolysis–Gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS), proving all studied decompose similar pathway, degradation taking place mainly β–hydrogen bond scission less extensive homolytic scission.