Kinetic Analysis of ZnO Filled PVA-LiCl: Three Phase Electrolyte

(Abdullah F. M. Al Naim)

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Abstract

A non-isothermal kinetics analysis for poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and its ZnO nanocomposite (5wt.%) loaded with different weight ratios of LiCl, was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The degradation mechanism and the corresponding activation energies were calculated using Kissinger, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Coats-Redfern models at different heating rates (5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 °C/min). In general, all models demonstrated their reliability to describe the thermal degradation of samples. The results show a reduction in PVA thermal stability in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles in the PVA matrix. Additionally, ZnO nanoparticles induce an alternative degradation mechanism from one-dimensional diffusion to random nucleation with one or two nuclei on the individual particles. However, the presence of the LiCl salt exhibits negligible effects on the TGA profiles and the activation energy values. Key Words: Poly (vinyl alcohol), Thermal degradation, Thermal stability, ZnO nanoparticles.
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