ABSTRACT
There is a heavy demand in modern technology for polymeric materials capable of being used at high temperatures over sufficiently long periods. To date, many polymers have been synthesized which can withstand heating to 200-400 °C without any substantial change in their service characteristics. Molecules of such polymers consist mainly of aromatic and heterocyclic units. Methods of preparation, properties, and degradation parameters of such heat-resistant polymers have been discussed in a number of reviews and books [224-228]. In this chapter it is important to consider the oxidation mechanisms and kinetics of polymers at high temperatures and what distinguishes them from their behaviour at low and moderate temperatures.
