Influence of fullerene on the kinetics of thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of high-density polyethylene by capturing free radicals

The influence of fullerene (C₆₀) on the thermal and thermal-oxidative degradation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was studied using non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis under nitrogen (N₂) and air atmosphere. Kinetic parameters of the degradation were evaluated using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method, which does not require the knowledge of the reaction mechanism. The results showed that the addition of C₆₀ enhanced the thermal stability of HDPE and increased the activation energy both in N₂ and air atmosphere and especially affected the initial stage of degradation. In N₂, C₆₀-trapped carbon-centered radical originated from the degradation of HDPE to improve the thermal stability and increase the activation energy. While in air, C₆₀ trapped the alkyl radicals and alkyl peroxide radicals to inhibit the hydrogen abstraction (especially the initial stage of thermo-oxidative degradation) and form more stable species, which improved the thermal stability and increased the activation energy during the thermal degradation of HDPE. Comparing with that of pure HDPE, the changes of activation energy for HDPE/C₆₀ nanocomposites were higher in air than in N₂, especially in the initial stage.