Synthesis, Characterization and Thermal Stability Study of Polyelectrolytes (Some Transition Metal Salts)

Zinc acrylate has been synthesized by reaction of zinc oxide and 3N aqueous solution of freshly distilled acrylic acid. Cobalt (II) acrylate was prepared by the reaction of sodium acrylate with cobalt (II) acetate in methanol medium. Both monomer salts have been polymerized in methanol solution using u,u -azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator at 60°C. Thermal behaviour of these materials has been studied under programmed heating at 10°C per min under dynamic nitrogen atmosphere by using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetry (TG) and in vacuo using thermal volatilization analysis (TVA). The degradation products including the gaseous, volatile liquid and cold ring fraction (CRF) from TVA degradation were investigated by IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and GC-MS techniques, the volatile product fraction having first been separated by subambient TVA. Quantitative measurements of the main product fractions have also been made. The decompositions of these materials show some similarities to the behaviour of the alkaline earth metal salts of respective acid, but there are also important differences. Carbon dioxide is the most important volatile product and, in addition, there are various other carbonyl containing products. More carbon dioxide. resulting from side group scission, is evolved from cobalt (II) polyacrylate than from zinc polyacrylate due to lower thermal stability of it.