Thermal Stability and Decomposition Mechanisms of PVA/PEGDA–PEGMA IPN-Hydrogels: A Multimethod Kinetic Approach

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the thermal stability and decomposition mechanisms of IPN hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a copolymer network of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGDA-PEGMA). Using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) and multi-approach kinetic analysis (Friedman and Ozawa-Flynn-Wall isoconversion methods, nonparametric kinetics, Shestaka-Berggren model), the influence of composition on the processes of dehydration, thermal destruction, and the distribution of activation energy by degrees of conversion was investigated. The constructed three-dimensional kinetic "landscapes" made it possible to identify characteristic features of the behavior of various samples, including differences in the rate and mechanisms of destruction. It was found that an increase in the content of PVA enhances moisture binding and shifts the T_max of dehydration to higher temperatures, while an increase in the concentration of PEGDA forms a denser network that limits moisture retention and accelerates thermal decomposition. Calculation of diffusion coefficients using the Fick model showed a decrease in D with an increase in network density, which reflects an increase in resistance to moisture mass transfer. The combination of the data obtained demonstrates the multistage nature of thermal destruction and allows for the targeted selection of hydrogel compositions for biomedical, environmental, and materials science applications, including drug delivery systems, sorbents and heat-resistant coatings.