ISSN:
0360-6376
Keywords:
Physics
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
“Catalyst-free” trimethylsilyl end-blocked polydimethylsiloxanes of Mn = 68,300 and 111,000 were isothermally depolymerized above 400°C. The volatilized products were a mixture of cyclic oligomers and trace quantities of Me3Si(OSiMe2)nOSiMe3 (n = 0,1). The relative degree of polymerization was followed as a function of fractional conversion. The data were consistent with the oretical curves for a mechanism involving initiation by random siloxane bond cleavage followed by a rapid and complete unzipping of the kinetically active fragments. It is suggested that catalysis may be responsible for the initiation process, thus accounting for the low activation energy (43 Kcal/mol) relative to the siloxane bond energy (108 kcal/mol).
Additional Material:
3 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pol.1983.170210511