Thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of high density polyethylene/fullerene composites

Abstract

Fullerene (C60)/high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were studied in order to understand for their behaviors on thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation. Under different atmosphere, the influences of C60 on the thermal stability of HDPE are different. Thermogravimetric analysis coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) demonstrate that in N2 the addition of C60 increases the onset decomposition temperature by about 10 °C with more heavy compounds (more than 34 carbon). Also the thermal stability of HDPE in air is remarkably improved with the addition of C60. When the content of C60 is 2.5 wt% the onset decomposition temperature increases by about 91 °C. The results of viscoelastic behavior and gel content reveal that C60 can trap the alkyl radicals and alkyl peroxide radicals to inhibit hydrogen abstraction to suppress the chain scission and preserve the long chain structure. However, in the absence of C60 or with low C60 concentration, hydrogen abstraction occurs, resulting in the formation of a series of alkyl radicals and alkyl peroxide radicals, which accelerates the chain scission and plays a leading role in the thermal oxidative degradation.