Effect of π–π interaction between carbon nanotubes and phenyl groups on the thermal stability of silicone rubber

• Published in: Journal of thermal analysis and calorimetry Vol. 131; no. 3; pp. 2503 - 2512
• Main Authors: Li, Zhongxiao, Bai, Lu, Zheng, Junping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.03.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Carbon nanotubes; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Inorganic Chemistry; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Nanotubes; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Silicone resins; Silicone rubber; Spectrum analysis; Thermal stability; Thermogravimetric analysis; Carbon nanotubes (CNTs); interaction; –; Phenyl content; Silicone rubber; Thermal stability
• ISSN: 1388-6150; 1588-2926
• DOI: 10.1007/s10973-017-6770-x

To investigate the effect and mechanism of π – π interaction between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and phenyl groups on the thermal stability of silicone rubber (SR), three kinds of silicone rubber with different phenyl content were used to prepare CNTs/SR composites in present study. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that the π – π interaction between CNTs and phenyl groups in composites is enhanced with phenyl content increasing. The results of thermogravimetric analysis and tensile testing before and after aging indicted the π – π interaction makes CNTs improve the thermal stability of phenyl SR more efficiently than that of methyl vinyl SR. The T 5 (defined as the temperature for 5% mass loss) of CNTs/SR-3 (with 10–20% phenyl content) is increased by 19.4 °C compared to that of SR-3, and the final residual mass of CNTs/SR-3 (31.9%) is much higher than other samples under argon atmosphere.