The thermal decomposition behavior and degradation kinetics of poly(N-adamantyl-exo-nadimide) were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis under dynamic conditions at five different heating rates: 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 degrees C/min. The derivative thermogravimetry curves of poly (N-adamantyl-exo-nadimide) showed that its thermal degradation process had one weight-loss step. The apparent activation energy of poly(N-adamantyl-exo-nadimide) was estimated to be about 214.4 kJ/mol with the Ozawa-Flynn-Wall method. The most likely decomposition process was an F1 deceleration type in terms of the Coats-Redfern and Phadnis-Deshpande results. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.