Publication Date

8-1993

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Wei-ping Pan, W.M. Lee, John Riley

Degree Program

Department of Chemistry

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to study the thermal and oxidative stability of a specific polymer composite. A TG/FTIR combined technique was employed to characterize this polymer/graphite fiber composite. The polymer composite sample was decomposed in nitrogen, air, and 3% oxygen atmospheres in a Seiko thermogravimetric analyzer. The use of a gas cell Fourier-transform IR spectrometer downstream from the TGA allowed for the identification of evolved gas products.

The thermal oxidative stability (TOS) of this composite was compared to its thermal stability. Also, comparison of the TOS in different atmospheres was made. In addition, the effects of specimen geometry in terms of sample thickness and surface area-to-volume ratio (A/V) were investigated by relating gas diffusion into the specimen to its relative stability.

Disciplines

Chemistry | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Included in

Chemistry Commons

Share

COinS