Abstract
The thermal degradation kinetics of polystyrene (PS) and various polystyrene–silicon carbide (PS/SiC) nanocomposite has been examined in detail and studied the reaction kinetics using non-isothermal thermogravimetry in nitrogen atmosphere at different heating rates. The activation energy of the thermal degradation was calculated using model-free methods of Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose and Tang, and the values are found to be compatible with each other. The kinetic analysis of the series of the prepared composites shows an increase in the average activation energy values with increase in the concentration of SiC nanoparticles, and the power law is found to be the best to describe the reaction model. The effect of various concentrations of SiC nanoparticles on the optical properties of the composites has been studied. The band gap energy of the nanocomposites decreases with SiC content. The SiC nanoparticles enhance the UV absorption of the composite film and modify overall optical behavior of the composite films. Further, the electronic structure and bonding properties of SiC-infused polystyrene molecule have been studied based on the DFT method by using the Gaussian09W simulation package to predict the stability and reactivity. The geometries have been analyzed using B3LYP/6-31G basis set .
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ganguli S, Roy AK, Anderson DP. Improved thermal conductivity for chemically functionalized exfoliated graphite/epoxy composites. Carbon. 2008;46:806–17.
He H, Fu R, Shen Y, Han Y, Song X. Preparation and properties of Si3N4/PS composites used for electronic packaging. Compos Sci Technol. 2007;67:2493–9.
Yu A, Ramesh P, Itkis ME, Bekyarova E, Haddon RC. Graphite nanoplatelet-epoxy composite thermal interface materials. J Phys Chem C. 2007;111:7565–9.
Cao JP, Zhao X, Zhao J, Zha JW, Hu GH, Dang ZM. Improved thermal conductivity a flame retardancy in polystyrene/poly(vinylidene fluoride) blends by controlling selective localization and surface modification of SiC nanoparticles. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2013;5:6915–24.
Lin W, Moon KS, Wong CP. A combined process of in situ functionalization and microwave treatment to achieve ultrasmall thermal expansion of aligned carbon nanotube–polymer nanocomposites: toward applications as thermal interface materials. Adv Mater. 2009;21:2421–4.
Sain M, Park SH, Suhara F, Law S. Flame retardant and mechanical properties of natural fiber—PP composites containing magnesium hydroxide. Polym Degrad Stabil. 2004;83:363–7.
Li Y, Huang XY, Hu ZW, Jiang PK, Li ST, Tanaka T. Large dielectric constant and high thermal conductivity in poly(vinylidene fluoride)/barium titanate/silicon carbide three-phase nanocomposites. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2011;3:4396–403.
Li TL, Hsu SLC. Synthesis, characterization and enhanced properties of novel graphite-like carbon nitride/polyimide composite films. J Phys Chem B. 2010;114:6825–9.
Veca LM, Meziani MJ, Wang W, Wang X, Lu FS, Zhang PY, Lin Y, Fee R, Connell JW, Sun YP. Carbon nanosheets for polymeric nanocomposites with high thermal conductivity. Adv Mater. 2009;21:2088–92.
Yu SZ, Hing P, Hu X. Thermal conductivity of polystyrene- aluminium nitride composite. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf. 2002;33:289–92.
Im H, Kim J. The effect of Al2O3 doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the thermal conductivity of Al2O3/epoxy terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) composites. J Carbon. 2011;49:3503–11.
Kim SR, Poostforush M, Kim JH, Lee SG. Thermal diffusivity of in situ exfoliated graphite intercalated compound/polyamide and graphite/polyamide composites. Express Polym Lett. 2012;6:476–84.
Shi Z, Radwan M, Kirihara S, Miyamoto Y, Jin Z. Combustion synthesis of rod-like AlN nanoparticles. J Ceramic Soc Jpn. 2008;116:975–9.
Zhou T, Wang X, Liu XH, Lai JZ. Effect of silane treatment of carboxylic-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the thermal properties of epoxy nanocomposites. Express Polym Lett. 2010;4:217–26.
Li TL, Hsu SLC. Enhanced thermal conductivity of polyimide films via a hybrid of micro- and nano-sized boron nitride. J Phys Chem B. 2010;114:6825–9.
Han Z, Fina A. Thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes and their polymer nanocomposites: a review. Progr Polym Sci. 2011;36:914–44.
Zavyalov SA, Pivkina AN, Schoonman J. Formation and characterization of metal- polymer nanostructured composites. Solid State Ion. 2002;147:415–9.
Martins JA, Cruz VS. Flow activation volume of polystyrene/multiwall carbon nanotubes composites. Polymer. 2011;52:5149–55.
Cailiang Z, Bin Z, Lee L. Extrusion foaming of polystyrene/carbon particles using carbon dioxide and water as co-blowing agents. J Polymer. 2011;52:1847–55.
He H, Fu R, Shen Y, Han Y, Song X. Preparation and properties of Si3N4/PS composites used for electronic packaging. Compos Sci Technol. 2007;67:2493–9.
Zhou W, Yu D, Min C, Fu Y, Guo X. Thermal, dielectric, and mechanical properties of SiC particles filled linear low-density polyethylene composites. J Appl Polym Sci. 2009;112:1695–6.
Gutmann B, Obermayer D, Reichart B, Prekodravac B, Irfan M, Kremsner JM, Kappe CO. Sintered silicon carbide: a new ceramic vessel material for microwave chemistry in single- mode reactors. Chem Eur J. 2010;16:12182–94.
Hussain F, Hojjati M, Okamoto M, Gorga RE. Review article: polymer-matrix nanocomposites, processing, manufacturing, and application: an overview. J Comp Mater. 2006;40:1511–75.
Fakhrpour G, Bagheri S, Golriz M, Shekari M, Omrani A, Shameli A. Degradation kinetics of PET/PEN blend nanocomposites using differential isoconversional and differential master plot approaches. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;124:917–24.
Rajeshwari P, Dey TK. Advanced isoconversional and master plot analyses on non-isothermal degradation kinetics of AlN (nano)-reinforced HDPE composites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;125:369–86.
Sovizi MR, Fakhrpour G, Bagheri S, Bardajee GR. Non-isothermal dehydration kinetic study of a new swollen biopolymer silver nanocomposite hydrogel. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2015;121:1383–91.
Pielichowska K. The influence of polyoxymethylene molar mass on the oxidative thermal degradation of its nanocomposites with hydroxyapatite. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;124:751–65.
Pilawka R, Paszkiewicz S, Rosłaniec Z. Thermal degradation kinetics of PET/SWCNTs nanocomposites prepared by the in situ polymerization. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2014;115:451–60.
Brown ME, Dollimore D, Galwey AK. Reactions in the solid state. In: Bamford CH, Tipper CF, editors. Comprehensive chemical kinetics, vol. 22. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 1980.
Rajeshwari P. Kinetic analysis of the non-isothermal degradation of high-density polyethylene filled with multi-wall carbon nanotubes. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;123:1523–44.
Vyazovkin S. On the phenomenon of variable activation energy for condensed phase reactions. New J Chem. 2000;24:913–6.
Vyazovkin S, Wight CA. Isothermal and nonisothermal kinetics of thermally stimulated reactions of solids. Int Rev Phys Chem. 1998;17:407–33.
Vyazovkin S, Sbirrazzuoli N. Isoconversional kinetic analysis of thermally stimulated processes in polymers. Macromol Rapid Commun. 2006;27:1515–8.
Brown ME. Stocktaking in the kinetic cupboard. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2005;82:665–9.
Doyle CD. Kinetic analysis of thermogravimetric data. J Appl Polym Sci. 1961;5:285–92.
Flynn JH, Wall LA. Direct method for the determination of activation energy from thermogravimetric data. Polym Lett. 1966;4:323–8.
Kissinger HF. Reaction kinetics in differential thermal analysis. Anal Chem. 1957;29:1702–6.
Akahira T, Sunose T. Method of determining activation deterioration constant of electrical insulating materials. Res Report Chiba Inst Technol (Sci Technol). 1971;16:22–31.
Tang W, Liu Y, Zhangand CH, Wang C. New approximate formula for arrhenius temperature integral. Thermochim Acta. 2003;408:39–43.
Jensen F. Introduction to computational chemistry. 2nd ed. Chichester: Wiley; 2007.
Vektariene A, Vektaris G, Svoboda J. A theoretical approach to the nucleophilic behavior of benzofused thieno[3,2-b]furans using DFT and HF based reactivity descriptors. Arkivoc. 2009;7:311–29.
Rauk A. Orbital interaction theory of organic chemistry. 2nd ed. New York: Wiley; 2001.
Cohen Y, Klein J, Rabinovitz M. Stable polycyclic anions: dianions from overcrowded ethylene. J Chem Soc Chem Commun. 1986;1071–3.
Silverstein RM, Webster FX. Spectroscopic identification of organic compounds. 4th ed. Singapore: Wiley; 2004.
Cao JP, Zhao J, Zhao X, Zha JW, Hu GH, Dang ZM. Preparation and characterization of surface modified silicon carbide/polystyrene nanocomposites. J Appl Polym Sci. 2013;130:638–44.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sarada, K., Muraleedharan, K. Thermal degradation and optical properties of SiC-infused polystyrene nanocomposites. J Therm Anal Calorim 126, 1809–1819 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-016-5709-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-016-5709-y