Thermal decomposition of polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) coordinated to co nanoparticles

Direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry analyses of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridne), PS-b-P2VP, indicated that the thermal degradation of each component occurred independently through the decomposition pathways proposed for the corresponding homopolymers; depolymerization for PS and depolymerization and loss of protonated oligomers for P2VP by a more complex degradation mechanism. On the other hand, upon coordination to cobalt nanoparticles, thermal decomposition of the P2VP blocks was initiated by loss of pyridine units, leaving an unsaturated and/or crosslinked polymer backbone that degraded at relatively high temperatures. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.