Description:
<jats:p> Through the use of thermogravimetry (TG), this work explores the thermal degradation mechanism and kinetics of Kapton (polyimide) film. Isoconversional kinetic methods, which provide activation energy as a function of degradation, present insight into the development of a five-step competitive and consecutive kinetic model. To evaluate the accuracy and validity of the model, a statistical analysis of the implemented kinetic model is also presented. Coupled TG-mass spectroscopy and TG-Fourier transform infrared analysis were used to investigate the decomposition mechanism and to more fully explain the complex, heating-rate-dependent, decomposition pathway of Kapton. </jats:p>