Insights on the processing and thermal degradation kinetics of PA6/PE‐g‐AA blends

Abstract

Blends of polyamide 6 (PA6) and polyethylene‐grafted acrylic acid (PE‐g‐AA) in contents 90/10, 80/20, and 70/30 were processed in a torque rheometer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra showed secondary hydrogen bond interactions between COOH (PE‐g‐AA) and NCOH (PA6) groups. Addition of PE‐g‐AA did not promote significant changes in the thermal stability of the blends, as evidenced in the torque curves and thermogravimetric plots, which showed weight loss in a single stage for PA6 and PE‐g‐AA, with T0.01 343 and 409°C, and predominant release of CO2, according to thermogravimetric analysis coupled to infrared spectra. The degradation kinetics were adequately modeled using Friedman, Ozawa—Flynn—Wall, and Vyazovkin, with R2 > 0.99, showing a higher value for PE‐g‐AA, occurring in a complex way with three competitive degradation mechanisms, F1, R3, and An.