Thermal stability and oxygen resistance of polypropylene composites with fullerene/montmorillonite hybrid fillers

Silane coupling agent (KH-550) was used to connect fullerene (C-60) with montmorillonite (MMT) to prepare C-60-decorated MMT hybrid (C-60-Si-MMT), and the mass ratio of C(60)to MMT was about 1:5. PP/C-60-Si-MMT composites with the C-60-Si-MMT loading that 3.0% by mass were prepared via melt compounding. TG and DSC results showed that C-60-Si-MMT could remarkably enhance the onset degradation temperature (T-onset) and the maximum decomposition temperature (T-max) of PP to 287.9 degrees C and 394.7 degrees C, respectively. And the oxidative induced time of PP also greatly extended to 14.4 min. Rheological investigation results and thermogravimetric analysis coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR) showed that good dispersive states of C-60-Si-MMT in matrix cause C(60)trap free radicals and MMT restrict the segment movement of macromolecular chain more effectively.

Automated summary

The study successfully prepared C-60-decorated MMT hybrid by connecting fullerene to montmorillonite, and the resulting composites showed enhanced thermal stability and oxidative resistance in the PP matrix.