TGA/FTIR/MS study on thermal decomposition of poly(succinimide) and sodium poly(aspartate)

The thermal degradation of sodium polyaspartate (PAspNa) and of its precursor - polysuccinimide (PSI) - was investigated using three different techniques: thermal analysis (TA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectrometry (MS). These online coupled techniques can comprise a very useful tool for the investigation of the thermal decomposition and its mechanisms and allow having simultaneous information about the decomposition process itself as well as of the evolving substances. PSI and sodium-polyaspartate present complex thermal decomposition processes (two to five stages). Also, thermal stability of PSI is low in comparison to that of PAspNa. Finally, weight losses were 72.53% for PSI and 46.73% in the case of PAspNa.