Thermal decomposition processes in polybenzoxazine model dimers investigated by TGA-FTIR and GC-MS

The thermal decomposition processes of a model compound containing Mannich bridge and a series of polybenzoxazine model dimers are investigated using TGA-FTIR and GC-MS. The 2,4-dimethylphenol-based benzoxazine dimers degraded into smaller and highly volatile compounds, leaving no char at the end of degradation. The p-cresol-based benzoxazine dimers degraded into smaller and highly volatile products as well, nevertheless some of which are able to undergo crosslinking and aromatization processes and form char. The major decomposition products for modified p-cresol-based dimers are amines and ester compounds. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.