Preparation and Thermal Properties of Poly(isobornyl methacrylate)/Graphite Composites

Abstract

This study reports the synthesis and thermal properties of poly(isobornyl methacrylate)/graphite composites. Homopolymer of isobornyl methacrylate was synthesized by free radical polymerization using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator at 65 ^oC. Poly(isobornyl methacrylate) composites were successfully prepared with graphite (G) in various ratios via solvent casting technique. Structures of the homopolymer and their corresponding composites were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). TGA/DTA simultaneous system was used to determine the thermal behavior of the prepared materials. Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) measurements showed that Tg values of the composites were lower than that of homopolymer. Thermal stability of the polymer composites increased with increasing the amount of graphite added to homopolymer.