Abstract
Bio-based polyesters are a new class of materials that are expected to replace their fossil-based homologues in the near future. In this work, poly(propylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PPF) nanocomposites with graphene nanoplatelets were prepared via the in-situ melt polycondensation method. The chemical structure of the resulting polymers was confirmed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Thermal stability, decomposition kinetics and the decomposition mechanism of the PPF nanocomposites were studied in detail. According to thermogravimetric analysis results, graphene nanoplatelets did nοt affect the thermal stability of PPF at levels of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 wt.%, but caused a slight increase in the activation energy values. Pyrolysis combined with gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy revealed that the decomposition mechanism of the polymer was not altered by the presence of graphene nanoplatelets but the extent of secondary homolytic degradation reactions was increased.
Highlights
In recent years, polymers have become a necessary part of modern life [1]
PPF/graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) nanocomposites containing 0.5, 1 and 2.5 wt.% GNPs were successfully synthesized via the in-situ transesterification and polycondensation method
The crystallinity of the as received materials was assessed by Wide Angle X-Ray Diffraction Patterns (WAXD) measurements
Summary
Polymers have become a necessary part of modern life [1]. From clothes to housing, transportation to medicine and electronics, polymeric materials promote, foster and enable a sustainable society [2]. Environmental concerns have arisen though, mainly because the vast majority of these polymers is produced from non-renewable resources [3,4], so a growing interest towards the preparation of materials and chemicals from renewable resources is observed [2,5,6,7,8] Economic reasons, such as the fluctuation of crude oil prices since fossil fuel resources have been diminishing, along with environmental ones, such as the limited biodegradability and the significant greenhouse gas emissions from the production of fossil-based materials, have shifted the attention towards bio-based raw materials and polymers [6,9,10,11]. New routes for biomass conversion and monomer generation must be used, to discover new, high performance
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