| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5203598 | Polymer Degradation and Stability | 2011 | 5 Pages |
The thermal degradation behaviour of oleic acid-capped colloidal anatase TiO2 nanorods, poly(methyl methacrylate), and their nanocomposites has been studied. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis have been carried out in nitrogen atmosphere for both nanorods, and nanocomposites with nanorod loading from 5 to 30Â wt% relative to the polymer. Our study shows that the degradation of the oleic acid-capped nanorods in nitrogen is mainly endothermic and occurs in two steps. The thermal stability of the nanocomposites is improved on increasing the filler loading in the considered range, as the nanorods prevent rapid heat diffusion and limit further degradation. This effect seems to be favoured by the nanorods increased mobility, leading to enhanced dispersion in the matrix upon heating the samples during the thermal analysis.
