DSC study of thermal decomposition of peroxide and azo derivative mixtures in the presence of LDPE

The thermal decompositions of azodicarbamide (AZDICA), 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), benzoyl peroxide (Bz₂O₂), dicumyl peroxide (DICUP) andα, α′-bis(t.-butylperoxy)-m/p-diisopropylbenzene (PEROXIMON F) in binary and ternary mixtures containing low density polyethylene (LDPE) have been studied by means of DSC alone. Binary mixtures including 2% by weight of Bz₂O₂ or DICUP develop a decomposition heat of 64.2 and 59.1 J/g mixture, respectively. These values are higher than those measured for the decomposition of the pure peroxides. In all the ternary mixtures studied, containing LDPE, a peroxide and an azoderivative, the absolute enthalpic values attributed to the peroxide are lower than those obtained from the LDPE-peroxide mixtures. The enthalpy changes observed have been interpreted on the basis of interactions of the peroxide radicals with the polymer support and with the azo derivative.