Effect of nanosilver on the thermal stability and thermal decomposition kinetics of poly(acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate-styrene)

Nanosilver/poly(acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate-styrene) (nano-Ag/P(AAEM-St)) composites were synthesized via emulsifier-free emulsion with silver nitrate solution, AAEM, and St monomer copolymerization by ultrasonic. The morphology and structure of the composites were characterized by ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer, and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The results show that Ag nanoparticles with face-centered cubic structure are homogeneously dispersed in the P(AAEM-St) matrix. The thermal stability and the thermal degradation kinetics of P(AAEM-St) were investigated using the thermogravimetric analysis and Kissinger and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method, respectively. The results prove that the thermal stability of the pure P(AAEM-St) is better than that of the nano-Ag/P(AAEM-St) composites.