The addition of aluminum nanoparticles to polypropylene increases its thermal stability

Abstract

This work reports the thermal degradation kinetics of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and iPP with incorporated Al nanoparticles. The Friedman, Flynn-Wall–Ozawa (FWO), ASTM E698 and Coats-Redfern methods were used to calculate the activation energy of the samples from thermogravimetric data. The thermal stability of the iPP was improved by the introduction of the nanoparticles: the maximum decomposition temperature of the nanocomposite increased from 453 ºC to 457 ºC and the activation energy from 226 kJ/mol to 244 kJ/mol. The thermal degradation models of iPP can be described by “Contracting Sphere” model, whereas that to nanocomposite by Rn (n= 4.8) model (phase boundary reaction).