Accelerated testing of thermo-oxidative degradation of polyvinyl butyral

Abstract

• Thermo-oxidative degradation of PVB has been studied by using TGA, GC, Fourier-IR spectroscopy, and UV – visible spectrophotometry, at low temperatures. • The activation energies of this process were determined. • To assess and forecast PVB stability under common operational and storage conditions, the complementary accelerated testing at relatively low temperatures of 70 – 120 °C are preferable. Using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gas chromatography, Fourier-IR spectroscopy, and UV–vis spectrophotometry, the thermo-oxidative degradation of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) has been studied at temperatures of 60–300 °C. The kinetic regularities were analysed, and the activation energies of mass loss and the formation of gaseous products and functional groups were determined. The correlations of the activation energy of the first macroscopic stage determined by dynamic TGA and the activation energies of the chemical processes proceeding at 60–120 °C are discussed.