KINETICS OF THERMAL DEGRADATION OF THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER NANOCOMPOSITES

摘要

Thermal protection materials are required to protect structural components of space vehicles during the re-entry stage, missile launching systems, and solid rocket motors. Novel materials based on nanotechnology creating nontraditional ablators are rapidly changing the technology base for thermal protection systems. The introduction of inorganic nanomaterials as additives into polymer systems has resulted in polymer nanostructured materials exhibiting multifunctional, high-performance polymer characteristics beyond traditional polymer composites possess. In this study, different polymer nanocomposite compositions were created by melt-compounded montmorillonite nanoclays or carbon nanofibers in a neat thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) polymer using twin-screw extrusion. Selective materials were characterized for their thermal and kinetic properties. Results were then compared against the current state-of-the-art insulation material, Kevlar~R-filled ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) as well as the neat TPU for the investigation of kinetic parameters.