The effect of modified carbon-doped boron nitride on the mechanical, thermal and γ-radiation stability of silicone rubber composites

Abstract

The developing nuclear technology has increased the need for radiation-resistant and shielding materials. It is crucial to study the radiation resistance of polymers in order to prevent safety incidents brought on by the degradation of polymer performance in a nuclear environment. In this work, γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (KH550) was successfully grafted onto carbon-doped boron (BCN) to obtain modified BCN (BCN-KH550), then BCN-KH550 was added in silicone rubber and refined and vulcanized. The elongation at break of silicone rubber composite doped with 0.3 phr BCN-KH550 can retain (54 ± 2)% of the initial value. The addition of BCN and BCN-KH550 both increases the initial decomposition temperature of the irradiated SR. The radiation caused changes in crystallinity and glass transition temperature (Tg) were measured using differential scanning calorimetry. The difference Tg of BCN-KH550/SR0.3 before and after irradiation is 0.9 °C higher than that of SR. It is supposed that BCN protects the side group of SR during irradiation through differential thermogravimetric analysis curve and gas phase infrared spectra of the irradiation-induced gas products. BCN and BCN-KH550 can lower the hydrocarbon, CO2 and CO production by side chain breakdown in both air and nitrogen atmospheres. The presence of BCN and BCN-KH550 decrease the radiation crosslinking of SR. The outcomes demonstrate that BCN-KH550 can reduce the effects of γ-radiation crosslinking on SR by declining side chain decomposition.