AbstractThe thermal degradation of chitosan at different heating rates B in nitrogen was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicate that the thermal degradation of chitosan in nitrogen is a one‐step reaction. The degradation temperatures increase with B. Experimentally, the initial degradation temperature (T0) is (1.049B + 326.8)°C; the temperature at the maximum degradation rate, that is, the peak temperature on a differential thermogravimetry curve (Tp), is (1.291B + 355.2)°C; and the final degradation temperature (Tf) is (1.505B + 369.7)°C. The degradation rates at Tp and Tf are not affected by B, and their average values are 50.17% and 72.16%, respectively, the maximum thermal degradation reaction rate, that is, the peak height on a differential thermogravimetry curve (Rp), increases with B. The relationship between B and Rp is Rp = (1.20B + 2.44)% min−1. The thermal degradation kinetic parameters are calculated with the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall method. The reaction activation energy (E) and frequency factor (A) change with an increasing degree of decomposition, and the variable trends of the two kinetic parameters are similar. The values of E and A increase remarkably during the initial stage of the reaction, then keep relatively steady, and finally reach a peak during the last stage. The velocity constants of the thermal degradation vary with the degree of decomposition and increase with the reaction temperature. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007