Thermal decomposition of the solid state of poly(o-anisidine) (POAN) base (POAN-EB) and salt [doped with 5-
sulfosalicylic (SSA) acid] (SSA-doped POAN) forms has been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential
thermal analysis (DTA) under non-isothermal conditions. The potential (PE) and optimum molecular geometric (OMG) energies
of the repeating unit (tetramer form) of investigated matrix were calculated using molecular mechanics (MM+) calculations.
These calculations (PE= −3.48×109 and OMG=−122.72 kJ mol−1) indicate that the optimum molecular geometric
structure of this matrix is highly stable. The empirical formula of the doped polymer is best represented by [POAN-2SSA.n/
6H2O] and substantiate by elemental analysis and MM+ calculations. The full polymer decomposition and degradation were
found to occur in three stages during the temperature increase. The decomposition activation energy (Ed) of both POAN base
(POAN-EB) and its doped (SSA-doped POAN) were calculated by employing different approximations. The heating rate of
decomposition and the frequency factor (ko) as well as kinetic parameters were calculated for doped or base form of this
matrix. A remarkable heating rate dependence of the decomposition rate of the SSA-doped POAN matrix was observed.
Poly(o-anisidine), TGA, DTA, MM+ calculation