Thermal degradation of celluloses and their vinylic copolymers by thermogravimetric analysis

Thermal degradation of unmercerized and mercerized cotton cellulose with different % NaOH solutions and grafted vinylic copolymers with different mixtures of vinyl acetate-methylacrylate(1) have been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in nitrogen between 25 and 600 degrees C at different heating rates. The differences between unmercerized and mercerized samples are related to structural differences between cellulose-I (native) and cellulose-II. The grafted cellulosic vinylic copolymers have shown that their thermal stability depends upon the cellulosic substrate and the grafting percentage. From our results, it can be deduced that it is possible to prepare the cellulosic materials with good thermal stability, short degradation temperature interval, and various residues at the end of degradation. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.