The oxidative degradation of deuteropolystyrenes

The degradation of polystyrene in the presence of oxygen in the temperature range 175–235°C. and in the presence of ozone between 65 and 154°C. has been studied. The products of the reaction, analyzed by infrared spectra, appear to be low molecular weight polystyrenes containing carbonyl groups upon O 2 oxidation, while a peroxidic complex intermediate forms primarily during ozonization. Volumetric studies of the rate of oxygen uptake gave an activation energy of 25 kilocalories per mole, while spectrophotometric studies of the rate of carbonyl formation gave a value of 45 kilocalories. Identical studies on specially synthesized deuterated polystyrenes gave similar results, with rates of oxidation varying approximately in the following order: magnified image