Thermo-Oxidative Stability of Cyclic Olefin Copolymers in the Presence of Fe, Co and Mn Stearates as Pro-Degradant Additives

Abstract

This article describes the effect of pro-degradant additives (PDA) on the thermo-oxidative behavior of two (series A and D) cyclic olefin copolymer (COCs) films. The CI, FTIR and mechanical properties results indicate that the presence of PDA does not contribute significantly to the degradation of the COCs resins, TGA and DTG results are more sensitive and show a little oxidant activity of each metal with the tendency Fe > Mn > Co. Comparative thermal stability results between COC resins showed that the A series copolymers with less percentage of norbornene (NB) have higher stability than the D series resins.

Keywords:

• Carbonyl index
• Cyclic olefin copolymers
• Pro-degradant additives
• Thermo-oxidative

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank M.C. Ma Concepcion Gonzalez and M.C. Marcelina Sanchez Adame for their technical support.

Notes

^a At 190°C and 2.16 Kg; ^b Ref. [16].

*ΔT difference of T_p and T_onset.