Abstract
Poly(decamethylene 2‐oxoglutarate) [poly (DMOG)] was synthesized by a melt polycondensation reaction. The structure of poly(DMOG) was confirmed by means of Fourier transform infrared, ^1^H‐NMR, and ^13^C NMR spectroscopies. The molecular weight distribution values of poly(DMOG) were determined with size exclusion chromatography. The number‐average molecular weight, weight‐average molecular weight, and polydispersity index values of poly(DMOG) were found to be 13,200, 19,000, and 1.439, respectively. Also, characterization was made by thermogravimetry (TG)–dynamic thermal analysis. The kinetics of the thermal degradation of poly (DMOG) was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis at different heating rates. TG curves showed that the thermal decomposition of poly(DMOG) occurred in one stage. The apparent activation energies of thermal decomposition for poly(DMOG), as determined by the Tang method, the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method, the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose method, and the Coats–Redfern method were 122.5, 126.8, 121.4, and 122.9 kJ/mol, respectively. The mechanism function and pre‐exponential factor were also determined by the master plots method. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008