Degradation kinetics and thermomechanical properties of in-situ polymerized layered double hydroxides-ethylene-propylene copolymer

This paper reports the study of in-situ incorporation of NiFe-(Anion) layered double hydroxides (LDH) in the ethylene-propylene (EP) (95:05 molar ratio) copolymerization. NiFe LDHs were synthesized with different intercalated anions using the coprecipitation method. The EP/LDH nanocomposites showed improved thermal stability, nevertheless, the various types of intercalated anions in the LDH showed a remarkable effect on the thermal stability and the degradation mechanism of the resultant polymer nanocomposites. EP/LDH constituted with NiFe-CO3/A (A = acetone washed) showed maximum improvement in the thermal stability concerning neat EP. The LDH incorporation in the composite influenced the polymer microstructure which was evident from the DSC and CRYSTAF analysis. The degradation kinetics of neat EP and EP/LDH nanocomposites were studied by employing the isoconversional method. The degradation kinetics models of different polymer samples were predicted by applying a generalized master plot. Moreover, EP nanocomposites exhibited higher storage modulus and elasticity as compared to neat EP copolymer.