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Title: Thermal degradation in a trimodal PDMS network by 1H Multiple Quantum NMR

Journal Article · · Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 111, n/a, October 25, 2007, pp. 12977-12984
OSTI ID:920862

Thermal degradation of a filled, crosslinked siloxane material synthesized from PDMS chains of three different average molecular weights and with two different crosslinking species has been studied by {sup 1}H Multiple Quantum (MQ) NMR methods. Multiple domains of polymer chains were detected by MQ NMR exhibiting Residual Dipolar Coupling (<{Omega}{sub d}>) values of 200 Hz and 600 Hz, corresponding to chains with high average molecular weight between crosslinks and chains with low average molecular weight between crosslinks or near the multifunctional crosslinking sites. Characterization of the <{Omega}{sub d}> values and changes in <{Omega}{sub d}> distributions present in the material were studied as a function of time at 250 C and indicates significant time dependent degradation. For the domains with low <{Omega}{sub d}>, a broadening in the distribution was observed with aging time. For the domain with high <{Omega}{sub d}>, increases in both the mean <{Omega}{sub d}> and the width in <{Omega}{sub d}> were observed with increasing aging time. Isothermal Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) reveals a 3% decrease in weight over 20 hours of aging at 250 C. Degraded samples also were analyzed by traditional solid state {sup 1}H NMR techniques and offgassing products were identified by Solid Phase MicroExtraction followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (SPME GC-MS). The results, which will be discussed here, suggest that thermal degradation proceeds by complex competition between oxidative chain scissioning and post-curing crosslinking that both contribute to embrittlement.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
920862
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JRNL-231546; TRN: US200805%%213
Journal Information:
Journal of Physical Chemistry B, vol. 111, n/a, October 25, 2007, pp. 12977-12984, Vol. 111
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English