Thermal properties of nylon 6 fibres grafted with acrylic monomers

Thermal Properties of methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA) and n-butyl methacrylate (n-BMA) grafted onto nylon 6 fibre with various graft levels were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) and the results compared with that of parent nylon 6 fibre. It was found that the initial decomposition temperatures (IDT) of the grafted samples were lower than that of the parent nylon 6 fibre. On the other hand with all the three monomers, there was an increase in overall thermal stability followed by subsequent decrease with increase in the graft level. Among the grafted samples both the IDT and IPDT (initial procedural decomposition temperature) followed the order MMA-g nylon > EMA-g nylon < n-BMA-g nylon Differential thermal analysis shows a depression in glass transition temperature (T_g) as well as in melting temperature (T_m). In the case of the MMA and EMA grafted samples, the depression is small over a wide range of graft level. In the case of the n-BMA grafted samples, the depression is higher. A wide melting range was obtained in the grafted samples. Flammability studies also showed that with an increase in the graft level as well as an increase in the alkyl chain the ease of flammability increased as expressed by limiting oxygen index (LOI) values. The possible reasons for the phenomena occurred have been discussed.