Self-Diagnostic Polymers-Inline Detection of Thermal Degradation of Unsaturated Poly(ester imide)s.

Monitoring polymer degradation is an important quest, particularly relevant for industry. Although many indirect methodologies for assessing polymer degradation exist, only few are applicable for an inline-monitoring via optic detection-systems. An inline-monitoring system is introduced for the thermal degradation of crosslinked poly(ester imide)s (PEIs) by embedding trifluoroacetyl functionalized stilbene molecules, serving as chemosensors to track the release of generated alcoholic byproducts.

Copolymerizations of epsilon-caprolactone and glycolide-a comparison of tin(II)octanoate and bismuth(III)subsalicylate as initiators.

Copolymerizations of epsilon-caprolactone (epsilonCL) and glycolide (GL) were conducted in bulk at 120 degrees C with variation of the reaction time. Either Sn(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct(2)) or bismuth(III)subsalicylate (BiSS) were used as initiators combined with tetra(ethylene glycol) as co-initiator. The resulting copolyesters were analyzed by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy with regard to the total molar composition and to the sequence of the comonomers.