Studies of thermooxidative degradation process of chlorinated natural rubber from latex

The thermooxidative degradation of chlorinated natural rubber (CNR) from latex were studied by thermogravimetry (TG) coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and difference FTIR. The CNR degraded in air atmosphere with two distinct steps of weight loss. The first step ranging from 160 to 390 °C, mainly is a dehydrochlorination reaction with a little oxidative scission of molecular backbones to release carbon dioxide and the conjugated polyene sequences ([CC])n=3,4 are formed on the molecules of CNR. The second step ranging from 390 to 585 °C, is an oxidative degradation reaction of the molecular backbones of CNR and the evolved gas is only carbon dioxide.