Prediction of Thermal Behavior of Polycarbonate/Cerium Oxide Composite Films

Abstract

Thermal effects in polycarbonate (PC) induced by lanthanide oxide nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed by blending were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC data proved the occurrence of solvent-induced crystallization of polymer doped with cerium oxide (ceria). TGA was performed to predict PC flammability properties in composites with 5-15 wt % ceria NPs at various heating rates. Decomposition was represented by first-order reactions and the Arrhenius equation. A model was formulated for thin samples subject to uniform heat irradiation, which is based on PC softening and decomposition into several products. This is an attempt to predict composite film burning behavior assuming constant heat transmission to samples.

Wear‐ and UV‐resistant polycarbonate‐based composite films reinforced by a novel inorganic–organic hybrid filler

“…A sole weight loss stage for neat PC film is ranging from 370 to 520 C due to the decomposition of PC backbone. 38 In contrast to the T max of neat PC (498.7 C), these values of composite films climb up in different degrees as a consequence of CFNS addition. Once the CFNS content reaches 2%, the highest T max was achieved as 507.8 C for PC/CFNS-2, 9.1 C higher than that of neat PC.…”