Kinetic parameters for thermal decomposition of supramolecular polymers derived from diclofenac–meglumine supramolecular adducts

Meglumine is an aminocarbohydrate able to form supramolecular adducts with organic acids. The recognition is based on hydrogen bonds and the structures resulting from the complexation have high solubility in water. This property has been exploited by the pharmaceutical industry in the improvement of existing drugs, and the successful example of this approach involves the poorly soluble non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Investigation of the thermal behavior of adduct obtained from meglumine and the NSAID diclofenac revealed that a polymer-like material is formed from the self-assembly of diclofenac–meglumine adducts in the melt. This polymer showed a high molecular weight around 2.0 × 105 kDa. The kinetic parameters for the thermal decomposition step of the polymer were determined by the Capela–Ribeiro non-linear isoconversional method. From data for the TG curves in nitrogen atmosphere and heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C min−1, the Eα and Bα terms could be determined, and consequently the pre-exponential factor, Aα, as well as the kinetic model, g(α).