Thermal decomposition and carbonization mechanism of poly‐para‐phenyleneoxadiazole

Thermal decomposition and carbonization mechanism of poly-para-phenylene-1,3,4-oxadiazole were investigated using FT-IR, thermogravimetry, gas-analysis, XPS, 13C-CP/MASFT-NMR, and elemental analysis. At temperatures above 500°C, the decomposition reaction proceeds preferentially on the oxadiazole ring, eliminating p-aminocyanobenzene and p-dicyanobenzene. Formation of carbodiimide compounds and their coupling followed in residual compounds, whose products are important intermediates leading to a planar and polyconjugated nitrogen-containing (e.g., graphite-like) carbon precursor.