Exploring the structure, characteristics, and thermal degradation of composites comprising thermoplastic polyolefin and graphene oxide under high-temperature dynamic shear conditions

Abstract

Dynamic high-temperature shear aging tests were conducted on thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO)/graphene oxide (GO) composite materials using a Hakke torque rheometer. The study employed ATR-FTIR, DSC, SEM, oxygen performance testing, and TGA to analyze the structure, properties, thermal degradation behavior, kinetics, and mechanisms of TPO/GO composites. The results demonstrated that the high-temperature dynamic shear thermal oxidative aging of TPO/GO composite materials establishes a dual protective mechanism, incorporating physical (intercalation oxygen resistance) and chemical (inorganic oxygen resistance) effects. This can be attributed to the polar surface and honeycomb structure of GO, as well as the shear-induced more uniform physical distribution of GO within TPO. Consequently, TPO/GO composite materials exhibit significantly enhanced resistance to dynamic shear thermal oxidative aging compared to TPO alone.