A mass spectrometric study on plasma reactions of styrene and methyl methacrylate

High frequency gas discharge plasma reactions of styrene and methyl methacrylate at low pressure have been studied mass spectrometrically. When styrene was used as a monomer, the most important reaction was plasma state polymerization; some decomposition of styrene and the formation of a small amount of C 2H 4 were detected. Under the same conditions, methyl methacrylate was decomposed mainly to CO, CO 2 and C 2H 4.