Gas-chromatographic identification of the products of the thermal degradation of a tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) copolymer

The volatile products of the thermal degradation of a tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) were identified based on a priori chemical information on the nature of samples (only perfluorinated compounds can be present) and on reference gas-chromatographic retention indices on a Silipore 600 polar inorganic adsorbent in combination with calculated values of these parameters. All of the major degradation products exhibited the general formula CnF2n and belonged to the perfluorocycloalkene (tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene were predominant) and perfluorocycloalkane (primarily, perfluorocyclobutane) series. Many minor components were represented by 1- and 2-perfluoroalkenes (n less than or equal to 6) and perfluorocycloalkanes (n less than or equal to 7).