Influence of Triphenyl Phosphate on Degradation Kinetics of Ultrahigh-molecular-weight Polyethylene in Inert and Oxidative Media

The kinetics and the mechanism of thermal decomposition of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene without additive and with TPP additives in oxidative and inert media has been studied using the method of differential mass-spectrometric thermal analysis at a high heating rate and the method of thermogravimetric analysis at a low heating rate, aimed at understanding the mechanism of reducing combustibility of UHMWPE with TPP additives. The results of the study may testify to the fact that not the thermal polymer degradation reactions but the gas-phase reactions in the UHMWPE flame with TPP participation are responsible for flame retardancy of UHMWPE.