JOURNAL OF POLYMER MATERIALS

In this study, the influence of the visbreaking agent (DAP) on mechanical, physical, thermal and morphological properties of PP has been studied. For this reason, isotactic polypropylene (PP) matrices containing 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.1 wt% of dialkylperoxide [2, 5-dimethyl-2, 5-di (tert-butyl peroxy)-hexane, (DAP)] were prepared by using a single-screw extruder. As a result of DAP addition, the crystallinity ratio of the PP matrices has changed between 2.67-7.80%. Mechanical properties of the matrices have been improved. Particularly, the mechanical tests of PP have given interesting results when compounded with 0.02 wt.% dialkyl peroxide. The microstructure of isotactic polypropylene matrix was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From SEM analysis, it was observed that the surface disorder increased by the increasing amount of DAP. Thermal analyses of the matrices were investigated using thermogravimetry in dynamic nitrogen atmosphere at different heating rates. The Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger and master plots method were employed to determine the kinetic model and kinetic parameters of the decomposition processes under non-isothermal conditions. It was found that the thermal stability, activation energy and thermal decomposition processes were all changed by increasing amount of DAP in the matrix structure