Abstract
Continuous-distribution kinetics was applied to thermal degradation of novolac polymer in tetralin. Molecular-weight distributions (MWDs) of novolac polymer and its degradation products were analyzed by HPLC-GPC. Kinetic parameters of the novolac degradation were obtained from the degradation rates, which is defined as the time-dependent changes of the molar concentrations (zeroth moments of the MWDs) of novolac polymer. The calibration curve for molecular weights (MWs) of novolac polymer was determined by analyzing the polymer with a light-scattering detector and a mass spectrometer rather than the use of polystyrene standards in GPC analysis. The continuous-distribution kinetics gave the apparent kinetic parameters of overall reactions of novolac polymer. The kinetic parameters of the degradation of the novolac resin were the pre-exponential factor of 106min-1 and the activation energy of 96 kJ/mol.
