Study on thermal stability and chemical structure of polyamide blended with small amount of Cu

The thermal stability and the chemical structure of Polyamide 66 (PA66) blended with a small amount of copper have been studied. The thermal degradation of the blend with 35 ppm or more of copper was restrained and no strong influence of the concentration of copper was observed. The molecular weight of PA66 decreased by the thermal aging process but the amount of decrease of the blend was smaller than that of the non-blend. The water uptake of the blend increased. The chemical structure, which was observed by IR and NMR, changed slightly by blending with copper after aging at higher temperatures. Multiple items influenced the thermal stability of PA66 blended with a small amount of copper instead of just one. Namely, the main chain of PA66 is cut by heat and the degree of the cut is restrained by the copper. The diffusion time of copper atoms that disperse uniformly in the PA66 matrix is short enough to cover the individual amide groups and the effect enlarges the entire configuration of the PA66 chain to enhance the thermal stability. (author)