Dynamic thermal decomposition of blends of polyamide 6 with functionalized and non-functionalized PP

The processes of thermal degradation taking place in polyamide 6 (PA6) blends with functionalized (PP1-g-DEM) and nonfunctionalized polypropylene (PP2) have been studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Coats-Redfern, Van Krevelen and Horowitz-Metzger integral methods were used to determine kinetic parameters. It was observed that the starting temperature of the decomposition of the blends decreases from 380 to 340 degrees C when increasing the concentration of functionalized polypropylene. When nonfunctionalized polypropylene is used, the decrease is from 360 to 300 degrees C. On the other hand, although the activation energy of the functionalized polypropylene is smaller than that of the non-functionalized, it was demonstrated that the thermal stability is bigger for the mixtures of PA6 with PP1-g-DEM, the latter being at 30 wt% composition of PP. Also, the use of functionalized polypropylene in the blends with polyamide evidences a better dispersion and a smaller particle size; this behavior positively influences the thermal stability of these blends. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.