Kinetics of thermal degradation of nanometer calcium carbonate/linear low‐density polyethylene nanocomposites

To improve the thermal properties of linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE), the CaCO 3 /LLDPE nanocomposites were prepared from nanometer calcium carbonate (nano‐CaCO 3 ) and LLDPE by melt‐blending method. A series of testing methods such as thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential thermogravimetry analysis, Kim‐Park method, and Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa method were used to characterize the thermal property of CaCO 3 /LLDPE nanocomposites. The results showed that the CaCO 3 /LLDPE nanocomposites have only one‐stage thermal degradation process. The initial thermal degradation temperature T 0 increasing with nano‐CaDO 3 content, and stability of LLDPE change better. The thermal degradation activation energy ( E a ) is different for different nano‐CaCO 3 content. When the mass fraction of nano‐CaCO 3 in nanocomposites is up to 10 wt %, the nanocomposite has the highest thermal degradation E a , which is higher (28 kJ/mol) than pure LLDPE. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012