Kinetic Study on the Pyrolysis of Amylose and its Derivatives

The kinetics of pyrolysis of amylose, amylose acetate and amylose propionate has been studied using thermogravimetric (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) in nitrogen atmosphere. Chatterjee, Anderson and Freeman, and Reich methods of analysis have been applied to the TGA and DTA data of these polymers. The Chatterjee method adequately explains the initial stage of pyrolysis of the polymers, while Anderson and Freeman, and Reich methods yield high activation energy in contrast to the experimental evidence. Thermal analysis showed that the thermal stability of amylose increases when it is substituted. Amylose has been found to decompose before melting, while the esters melt before decomposition. The melting temperature of the esters decreased with increased size of the pendent groups.