Synthesis and characterization of pyrazole derived polymer clay nanocomposites

In present work, a series of novel pyrazole derived polymer poly(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl methacrylate)/organomodified clay based nanocomposites were prepared by in situ polymerization technique. Spectral characterizations were performed with FTIR and 1H-NMR techniques. Vinylbenzyldimethylhexadecyl ammonium chloride was used as an organic-modifier. The X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) showed that the clay dispersion in the polymer matrix was exfoliated type for all nanocomposites. A positive correlation was observed between the reinforced clay ratio and the thermal stability of the nanocomposites from thermogravimetry (TGA). The nanocomposite with 7 wt% clay content was approximately 34.85 °C more thermally stable than the undoped polymer. Thermal kinetic analysis of the decomposition process of nanocomposites in a conversion range of 7–19% was evaluated from dynamic experiments by means of various kinetic models seen in literature. Doping the organoclay into the pyrazole polymer increased the activation energy from 79.49 kJ/mol to 109.50 kJ/mol compared to pure polymer. The results obtained from kinetic models showed that all nanocomposites proceed via the thermal decomposition mechanism, D1, that is one-dimensional diffusion type deceleration mechanism. Keywords: Pyrazole derived polymer; Synthesis and characterization; Polymer – clay nanocomposites; Thermal decomposition kinetics; Activation energy; Reaction mechanism.