Chemical degradation of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether/methyl tetrahydrophthalic anhydride networks by p-Toluenesulfonic-acetic anhydride

This paper reports for the first time that p-Toluenesulfonic-acetic anhydride was applied to degrade bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) cured by methyl tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (MTHPA). Chemical structures of high temperature volatile organic compounds of the ester-dissolved extract in the degradation products were identified with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that the main volatile compounds were glycerol triacetate and phenylglyceryl ether diacetate. By using gas chromatography (GC), degradation conditions such as reaction temperature, reaction time and dosage of the cleavage agent were optimized. Temperature was a key factor influencing the degradation reaction. Based on GC and GC-MS results, it is concluded that p-Toluenesulfonic-acetic anhydride not only breaks carbon-oxygen ether bonds but also benzene-carbon bonds and ester bonds in the degradation of MTHPA/DGEBA.