Thermal decomposition of PTFE in the presence of silicon, calcium silicide, ferrosilicon and iron

Simultaneous TG/DTA has been used to study the thermal decomposition of binary compositions containing polytetrafluoroethene (PTFE) with silicon (Si), calcium silicide (CaSi2), ferrosilicon (FeSi) or iron ( Fe) powders. In nitrogen and under dynamic heating program the thermal decomposition of Si/PTFE and CaSi2/PTFE is an exothermic process. The other two compositions decompose endothermically. In each case the decomposition reactions show first-order kinetics but only iron does not change considerably the kinetics of PTFE depolymerization. The constants of the decomposition rate at 850 K for silicon containing reducers are about four times higher than those of PTFE and Fe/PTFE.