Nestorak I. Thermal stabilization of polystyrene by imidophenyl(meth)acrylates.

It is investigated the thermal stabilization effect of covalently introduced imidophenyl(meth)acrylates additives with various substitution of imide circle, namely: acylated oxyphenylmaleimide, oxyphenylsuccinimide derivatives which are the products of condensation by Diels-Alder of oxyphenylmaleimide with dienes of various molecular architectures and some oxyphenylphthalimide derivatives on polystyrene decomposition. Some of the investigated additives are shown almost not effect on polystyrene thermal stability and others are inhibitors and retarders of polystyrene decomposition as well as in air or in inert atmosphere, the last are only polystyrene antioxidants. It is ascertained that imidophenyl(meth)acrylates practically not effect on the molecular weight and chain-length distribution of polystyrene. Isomerism of monomer additive (meta- or para-derivative) and the presence of acrylate or methecrylate practically are shown not effect on thermal stability of modified polystyrene. The optimal concentration of introducing imidophenyl(meth)acrylates that stabilized polystyrene at it thermal decomposition on air is revealed to be near 5 % mol but in inert atmosphere is near 1 % mol. It is shown that the mechanically mixed additives of imidophenylderivatives with polystyrene practically not reveal the thermal stabilizing effect to polystyrene and on the initial stages of decomposition even somewhat deteriorate the polymer thermostability. The possible mechanism of the effect of imide fragment of introduced additives of imidophenyl(meth)acrylates on the decomposition of polystyrene in inert atmosphere is suggested and recommendations about practical application of some discovered effective thermal stabilizers for polystyrene are submitted.