Thermal degradation of polyalkylene sulphides

Abstract

The thermal stabilities of polyethylene sulphide and suitable model compounds have been examined. At temperatures greater than 200° the polymers rapidly decompose to afford, in the main, heterocyclic products together with linear sulphur compounds, hydrogen sulphide, and olefins. Based on the analysis of products formed from the thermal breakdown of model compounds two mechanisms by which massive decomposition could occur have been suggested.