Assessment of the error of the pre-exponential factor obtained from the isoconversional plot and the single heating rate plot for dynamic thermogravimetric measurement of polymer degradation

We present an assessment on error of the pre-exponential factor estimated from the isoconversional plot and the single heating rate plot for dynamic thermogravimetric measurement. It is found that the pre-exponential factor obtained at the correct reaction order usually has about -10% error in value. The use of a wrong reaction order can lead to a variation in the value of the pre-exponential factor by several times, sometimes even several hundred times. Curve simulation is a careful method for obtaining kinetics parameter values. Only perfect agreement of simulation curve with the experimental one can give the correct kinetic parameters.