Nucleating Effect of Carbon Nanoparticles and Their Influence on the Thermal and Chemical Stability of Polypropylene

• Published in: Journal of nanomaterials 2012-01, Vol.2012 (2012), p.1-8
• Main Authors: Zitzumbo-Guzmán, R., Méndez-Nonel, J., Ramos-de Valle , L. F., Ramírez-Vargas, E., Sánchez-Valdes, S., Avalos-Belmontes, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1687-4110; 1687-4129
• DOI: 10.1155/2012/406214

The effect of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the thermal and chemical stability of polypropylene (PP) when subjected to oxidation in a strong acid medium was studied. The effect of CNFs and CNTs on the crystalline morphology and the melting and crystallization temperatures was also studied. The thermal stability increased markedly; the decomposition temperature, for example, increased from 293∘C for pure PP to 312 and 320∘C for PP with CNFs and CNTs, respectively. The crystallization temperature increased perceptibly with the addition of CNTs or CNFs, from 107∘C for pure PP to 112 and 114∘C for PP with CNFs and CNTs, respectively. The oxidative degradation with nitric acid produced a reduction in molecular weight; however, this negative effect was less pronounced in the PP compositions with carbon nanoparticles. After 8 hours in nitric acid, this reduction was from 141,000 to 68,000 (for pure PP), to 75,000 (for PP-CNFs), and 79,500 (for PP-CNTs). X-ray diffraction showed that the alpha type crystallinity remains, irrespective of the nucleating agent. Finally, the intensity ratio between the (040) (at 16.7∘) and the (110) (at 13.9∘) reflections increased, which was taken as an indication of an increasing nucleating efficiency.