Thermal Decomposition and Oxidation Ageing Behaviour of Polypropylene/Halloysite Nanotube Nanocomposites

The thermal decomposition and oxidation ageing behaviour of polypropylene (PP) and PP/halloysite nanotube (HNT) nanocomposites were studied. The kinetics of thermal decomposition were calculated by integral models. The thermal oxidation ageing was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The PP nanocomposites showed a higher activation energy of thermal decomposition than neat PP. Their surface treatment and lower HNT loading led to a higher activation energy of decomposition. Their improved thermal stability in nitrogen was attributed to entrapment of decomposition products at initial decomposition stage and to barrier effects. Nanocomposites made by using silane-modified HNT (m-HNT) and also those with lower quantities of (unsilanated) HNT showed improved resistance to thermo-oxidative ageing. The rate of thermo-oxidative ageing was correlated with the number of acidic sites and the volume of entrapped oxygen in the lumen of the HNT and in cavities.