Perfluorocyclobutane aromatic ether polymers. II. Thermal/ oxidative stability and decomposition of a thermoset polymer

The results of thermal and oxidative stability studies are reported for one perfluorocyclo‐butane aromatic ether thermoset polymer. The polymer was prepared from 1,1,1‐tris (4‐trifluorovinyloxyphenyl)ethane by the thermal cyclodimerization of the trifluorovinyl either functionality, resulting in a network polymer comprising alternating perfluorocy‐clobutane and aromatic either groups. The results of isothermal and dynamic thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) studies are reported with kinetic approximations for de‐composition in nitrogen, along with FTIR studies of the oxidative process in air and TGA/mass spec determination of the gasses evolved from decomposition in air. Based on these results, thermal and oxidative decomposition mechanisms are proposed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.