Effect of poly(bisphenol A acryloxyethyl phosphate) on the activation energy in thermal degradation of urethane acrylate

Abstract

Poly(bisphenol A acryloxyethyl phosphate) (BPAAEP) was blended in different ratios with a commercial urethane acrylate to obtain a series of UV curable flame-retardant resins. The thermal oxidative degradation mechanism of their cured films in air were studied by thermogravimetric analysis at several heating rates between 5 and 20°C min−1. The activation energies were determined using Kissinger method, Friedman method, Flynn-Wall method, Horowitz-Metzger method and Ozawa method. The results showed that the activation energies of the blends were lower than that of pure urethane acrylate at lower degree of degradation, whereas the higher activation energies were obtained at higher degree of degradation.