The decomposition process and kinetic analysis of commercial binder based on phenol-formaldehyde resin, using in metal casting

Abstract

Kinetic characterization of the degradation of resins is important for understanding structural changes, which occur during the different phase of degradation, and study of that can help predict and improve the industrial performance of the resin. Thermal decomposition behavior of commercial binder based on phenol–formaldehyde (PF) resin, using in metal casting were studied using a conventional dynamic thermogravimetric analysis TGA/DTG at different heating rates ß: 5, 10, 20 and 30 °C/min under inert atmosphere. The kinetic parameters of thermal degradation of PF binder were investigated using model-free methods: integral Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) and differential method after Friedman as well as the model-based method. The initial kinetic parameters values for nonlinear model-fitting were taken from the model-free evaluations. Activation energy is a kinetic parameter that reflects the sensitivity of the resin to temperature. The thermal stability of samples was estimated by measuring the degradation temperature, which was calculated according to the maximum reaction rate criteria.