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Influence of fullerene on the kinetics of thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of high-density polyethylene by capturing free radicals

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Abstract

The influence of fullerene (C60) on the thermal and thermal-oxidative degradation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was studied using non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis under nitrogen (N2) and air atmosphere. Kinetic parameters of the degradation were evaluated using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method, which does not require the knowledge of the reaction mechanism. The results showed that the addition of C60 enhanced the thermal stability of HDPE and increased the activation energy both in N2 and air atmosphere and especially affected the initial stage of degradation. In N2, C60-trapped carbon-centered radical originated from the degradation of HDPE to improve the thermal stability and increase the activation energy. While in air, C60 trapped the alkyl radicals and alkyl peroxide radicals to inhibit the hydrogen abstraction (especially the initial stage of thermo-oxidative degradation) and form more stable species, which improved the thermal stability and increased the activation energy during the thermal degradation of HDPE. Comparing with that of pure HDPE, the changes of activation energy for HDPE/C60 nanocomposites were higher in air than in N2, especially in the initial stage.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51073140) and the Natural Science Foundation of Ningbo (No. 2011A610124).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Li** Zhao, Zhenhu Cao & Zheng** Fang

  2. Lab of Polymer Materials and Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, 315100, China

    Li** Zhao, Zhenhu Cao, Zheng** Fang & Zhenghong Guo

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  1. Li** Zhao
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  2. Zhenhu Cao
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  3. Zheng** Fang
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  4. Zhenghong Guo
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Correspondence to Zhenghong Guo.

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Zhao, L., Cao, Z., Fang, Z. et al. Influence of fullerene on the kinetics of thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of high-density polyethylene by capturing free radicals. J Therm Anal Calorim 114, 1287–1294 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-013-3158-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-013-3158-4

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