Effect of modification on thermal stabilities and thermal degradation kinetics of poly(buthylmethacrylate)/multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposites

Abstract

Modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared from commercially purchased MWCNTs with different chemical reactions. Nanocomposites were synthesised by the solvent casting method. The effects of functional groups, filling ratios and surfactants on thermal properties of nanocomposites were investigated. The structural, thermal and morphological properties of MWCNT and nanocomposites were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area measuring device, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. The novel increases in the thermal properties of poly(butylmethacrylate) (PBMA) were observed by adding MWCNT samples into a PBMA matrix. Tg values of nanocomposites were higher than those of PBMA films. The data obtained from the thermograms of nanocomposites at different heating rates were analysed with Kissinger, FWO and Friedman equations. The activation energies of the nanocomposites were higher than those of PBMA films.