Thermal decomposition kinetics of copolymers derived from p-dioxanone, L-lactide and poly(ethylene glycol)

The kinetic parameters, including the activation energy E, the reaction order n, and the pre-exponential factor Z, of the degradation of the copolymers based on the poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) or poly (p-dioxanone-co-L-lactide) (PDO/PLLA) and diol-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) segments have been evaluated by the single heating methods of Friedman and Freeman-Carroll. The experimental results showed that copolymers exhibited two degradation steps under nitrogen that can be ascribed to PLLA or PDO/PLLA and PEG segments, respectively. However, copolymers exhibited almost single degradation step in air. Although the values of initial decomposition temperature were scattered, copolymers showed the lower maximum weight loss rate and degradation-activation energy in air than in nitrogen whereas the higher value of temperature at the maximum rate of weight loss was observed in air.