Thermal degradation behaviour and kinetic analysis of epoxy/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Thermal degradation behaviour and kinetic analysis of epoxy/montmorillonite nanocomposites were investigated in detail by using a dynamic rate mode of a high-resolution thermogravitnetric analyser (TGA). Two bisphenol A diglycidyl ether-based nanocomposites, EpClay 2 and EpClay 10, containing 2 and 10 phr organic montmorillonite, respectively, were chosen as model systems. The results show that thermal behaviour and kinetic parameters of nanocomposites were dependent on the clay loading and structure of nanocomposites as well as the nature of the purge gas. In both nitrogen and air, EpClay 10 had the lowest initial degradation temperature (Ti), while EpClay 2 had the highest values, however, the combined characteristic of high char yield-and low degradation rate temperature of EpClay 10 suggested that it may possess good flame resistance. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.