The thermal degradation and thermooxidative degradation of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) were studied by thermogravimetry (TG). In the thermal degradation of ENR, the initial temperature of weight loss T 0 Å 1.20B / 348, the temperature of maximum weight loss rate T p Å 1.07B / 392, and the final temperature of weight loss T f Å 0.77B / 445. The C p , which corresponds to the degradation rate at temperature T p , increases along with the heating rate B and its mean value is 43%, but C f , which corresponds to the degradation rate at temperature T f , is not affected by the heating rate, and its average value is close to 100%. As in the thermooxidative degradation, T 0 Å 1.84B / 246, T p Å 0.30B / 378, and T f Å 2.27B / 584. The value of C p increases along with the heating rate B and its mean value is 36%, but C f is not affected by the heating rate and the average value approximately equals 100%. The thermal degradation in nitrogen could be a one-step reaction, whereas the thermooxidative degradation has a multiple-step reaction. The reactive environment has a great effect on the thermal degradation of ENR and the difference of the mechanisms of the two reaction systems is obvious.
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