A two-dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopic study on the thermal degradation of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate)-co-methyl methacrylate/SiO2 nanohybrids

Two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) correlation spectroscopy was applied to study the structural changes occurring in the decomposition of PHEA-co-MMA/SiO2. Complicated absorption spectral changes were observed in the heating process. 2D IR analysis indicates that during heating, covalent bonds, (Si-O-C), between the polymer and the inorganic moiety were formed, which was the main factor in the improvement in thermal properties of the hybrids such as the decomposition temperatures (Td). The thermal stability of the hybrids was also studied by solid-state 29Si MAS NMR spectroscopy and TGA tests. Their results complemented each other well.