Qualitative and quantitative analysis of methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate of acrylonitrile fibers by pyrolysis gas chromatography

Abstract Degradation gases evolved from methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate of acrylonitrile fibers were analyzed by pyrolysis gas chromatography. For determining polymer composition, optimum pyrolysis conditions were determined and calibration was accomplished by using acrylonitrile–methylacrylate and acrylonitrile–methyl methacrylate model copolymers. Out of the 23 samples examined, 10 were found to contain methyl acrylate and five methyl methacrylate comonomers, in the range of 3.5–8.0%. The reproducibility of the method was good, the coefficient of variations was ±2% for methyl acrylate and ±2.5% for methyl methacrylate. Compositions were in agreement with those determined by other methods.