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Abstract:
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The thermal degradation of short kevlar fibre-thermoplastic polyurethane
(TPU) composites has been studied by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). TGA showed that the thermal
degradation of TPU takes place in two steps with peak maxima (T1max and
T2ma,) at 383°C and 448°C, respectively. In the presence of 10-40 phr of short
kevlar fibres, T1_ and T2max were shifted to lower temperatures. The
temperature of onset of degradation was increased from 245 to 255°C at 40
parts per hundred rubber (phr) fibre loading. Kinetic studies showed that the
degradation of TPU and kevlar-TPU composite follows first-order reaction
kinetics. The DSC study showed that there is an improvement in thermal
stability of TPU in the presence of 20 phr of short kevlar fibres. |