Kinetics of the Nonisothermal Degradation of Styrene-Butadiene Rubber

Abstract

The kinetics of the thermal degradation of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) have been studied using a conventional nonisothermal thermo gravimetric technique at several heating rates ranging from 10°C/min to 50°C/min. The dynamic thermogravimetric analysis curve and its derivative have been analyzed using a variety of analytical methods reported in the litera ture to obtain the kinetic parameters such as activation energies, reaction or ders, and pre-exponential factors. When Freeman-Carroll's method is used, apparent activation energy ranging from 105.2-258.3 kJ/mol at various heating rates is given whereas the Flynn-Wall method gave values ranging from 220.9-344.3 kJ/mol. Friedman and Ozawa methods gave apparent activation en ergy between 55.0-237.0 kJ/mol and 75.3-305.1 kJ/mol upon fractional weight loss, respectively.