Anti-Radical Activity of Fullerenes and Carbon Nanotubes in Reactions of Radical Polymerization and Polymer Thermal/Thermo-Oxidative Degradation

Abstract

Abstract The behaviour of fullerenes (mostly the C60 and C70) in a radical polymerization and during thermal/thermo-oxidative degradation of polymers is considered. The analysis of literature material clearly shows that fullerenes preferably act as scavengers of carbon-centered free radicals, and therefore they appear to be inhibitors for the radical polymerization and stabilizers for polymer materials. No distinct indication of any proved active or specific role for oxygen-centered radicals has been specified. As carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have electron affinities similar to those of fullerenes, and might therefore also be predicted to behave as radical traps in chain reactions such as polymerization and thermal degradation of polymers as well.