Graphene Impact on Thermal Characteristics of LDPE

Abstract

Graphene (Gr) spreading in low-density polyethylene (LDPE), significantly boosted thermal characteristics of LDPE/Gr nanocompounds. Recently, Gr has been focused on both academic and industrial benefits due to causing significant characteristics at a very low Gr loading. Huge surface areas and excellent characteristics of Gr enhanced thermal stability and conductivity characteristics of LDPE/Gr nanocompounds. In this research, the non-isothermal crystallization of LDPE/Gr nanocompounds was considered using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for testing the LDPE/Gr nucleation and crystallization over the raising of crystallization onset temperature Tonset. This study shows that the inclusion of Gr to LDPE nucleates crystallization through reduction of energy of activation accompanied by growing the onset temperature of crystallization. With further inclusion of Gr to LDPE, the energy of activation decreased, similar to the nucleating agents within the crystallization of nanocompounds, and likewise boosted the growth of comparative crystallinity of LDPE/Gr nanocompounds. Inclusion of Gr in LDPE, modified the thermal characteristics due to the enormous thermal stability of Gr sheets. In this research it was also found that the onset temperatures of thermal deterioration for LDPE/Gr nanocompounds were improved significantly in associate with pristine LDPE.