Journal of Fiber Bioengineering and Informatics Regular Article

Comparison and Analysis of Thermal Degradation Process of Aramid

Fibers (Kevlar 49 and Nomex)
Hong-Ting Zhang1, 2*
1
Jinan Engineering VocationalTechnology College, Jinan, Shandong, P.R.China 250200
2
Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, Donghua University, Shanghai,
P.R. China, 201620

Abstract: High performance fibers such as polymer material, have extensive applications in aerospace and
high temperature environment. When these fibers were used in such high temperature, could be subjected to
degradation. To understand and evaluate the thermal degradation process of materials under thermal
environment, effective characterization and research methods must be adopted. In this paper, the thermal
degradation processes of aramid fibers were analysed by TGA-DTA/FT-IR. The experimental results show
that aramid fibers (Kevlar 49, Nomex) have similar thermal stability, but their thermal degradation process
and temperatures are different. Kevlar 49 fiber shows higher degradation temperature as a copolymer of
para-aramid, and its initial degradation temperature is 548.1 in air. It can also be found that the Nomex
fiber has a lower thermal degradation temperature and its initial degradation temperature is 423.7 in air.
Ascending the temperature to 800, the two kinds of fibers loose all mass in air. We can get the wave
number, absorbance time and three-dimensional images during the heating process by TGA-DTA/FT-IR
tests. According to TG curves, the infrared spectra of decomposition products can be obtained and analyzed.
The thermal decomposition process can be comprehensively discussed by the infrared spectra of
decomposition products.

Keywords: Thermal degradation, TGA-DTA/FT-IR, aramid fibers, process.

1. Introduction Although considerable efforts have been devoted to

Polymers have found applications in each part of our
daily life. Some of these applications require a deep
knowledge about the durability and a predictability of
the properties under different environmental conditions
and over long periods to cover the whole lifetime of
the object. In the last few decades, the demand from
advanced industries, particularly the aerospace, has
been the driving force for the development and
applications of high performance fibers in many fields,
such as structural, composite, and reinforced materials.
Aramid fibers have excellent thermal and oxidative
stability and the retention of physical properties at high
temperature [1-2], which make the materials very
suitable for many purposes. The popular commercial
high performance fibers are Kevlar and Nomex fibers.
Kevlar fiber has high tenacity, modulus, and
remarkable thermal stability, these fibers are widely
used as tire reinforced materials, ropes, cables, and
ballistic resistance fabrics. Similarly, Nomex fiber has
excellent thermal and light protective properties which
are widely used in aerospace, military and protective
clothing.
study the structure, thermal properties, and their
relationship for high performance fibers, as well as
thermal stability and thermal degradation of aramid
fibers [3-6], there are only a few publications on the
comparison between their thermal stability and
analysis of thermal degradation process .
In this paper, the thermal degradation processes of
aramid (Kevlar 49, Nomex) fibers were studied by
TGA-DTA/FT-IR. The thermal decomposition
temperatures of aramid fibers were obtained and the
thermal decomposition compounds were analyzed.
2. Experimental
2.1 Materials
The aramid fibers include Kevlar 49 fiber and Nomex
fiber, which are obtained from Dupont. Figure 1
reveals the longitudinal shapes of Nomex and Kevlar
49 fibers observed by scanning electron microscope.
The specification of the fiber is listed in Table 1.

*
Corresponding authors email: zhanght1001@126.com
JFBI Vol. 3 No.3 2010 doi:10.3993/jfbi12201008

163
 Comparison and Analysis of Thermal Degradation Process of Aramid Fibers (Kevlar 49 and Nomex)
Hong-Ting Zhang.

(a) (b)

Figure 1 Longitudinal micrographs of Nomex and Kevlar 49 fiber. a Nomex fiber. b Kevlar 49 fiber.

Table 1 The basic properties of aramid fibers.

Properties Kevlar 49 Nomex
Diameter/ m 14 13
Tensile strength cN/dtex 18.2 4.8

2.2 Measurements

Thermal degradation of aramid fibers were performed

in a TG 209 F1 Iris device. The thermal scanning mode
ranges from 50 to 800 at a programming heating
rate of 20/min in atmosphere with a gas flow of 20
mL/min. Each of the samples was controlled within
5-6 mg in primary weight and held in an alumina
crucible, and then the loss of the sample weight was
measured under a temperature program. The TG and
differential DTG curves were recorded and displayed
simultaneously during the measurement. The
temperature parameters are as follows, the initial Figure 2 The TG and DTG curves of Nomex fiber.
temperature of decomposition (T0), the temperature of
half decomposition (T1/2), the temperature at the The thermal decomposition properties of Nomex and
maximum rate of weight loss (Tp), and the temperature Kevlar 49 fiber in atmosphere were studied by TG.
of terminal decomposition (Tt), . Fourier transform Figure 2 shows TG and DTG curves at a heating rate
infrared spectroscopy (Nicolet Corporation U.S., of 20 K min-1 obtained during pyrolysis of Nomex fiber
NETXUS750 type) was used to analyze the component in air. The TG curve first exhibits a weight loss
of release gas. The thermal degradation products ascribable to release of adsorbed moisture that extends
during experimental process were blown into the from room temperature to 105, which coincides with
infrared testing pool by carrier gas and were analyzed. the DTG curve. No further changes in mass occur
The spectral range is 400 ~ 4 000 cm-2 and the between 105 and 270. Above 270, a slight
resolving power is 1 cm-2. weight loss of approximately 2% takes place. The
thermally measured results in atmosphere, indicate that
the initial degradation temperature of the Nomex fiber
3. Results and discussion is 423.7. A temperature of 423.7 is the onset of
decomposition temperature. The terminal temperature
3.1 The thermal degradation of Nomex fiber by of the decomposition is approximately 800. In this
TGA-DTAFT-IR

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stage, the mass loss is very fast and significant and the 425
Nomex fiber happens to degrade. 500
600
The three-dimensional images of wave number,
700
absorbance and time can be obtained during the
750
heating process by TGA-DTA/FT-IR tests. According 800
to TG curve, the infrared spectra of decomposition CO2
H2O
NO2
products at 425, 500, 600, 700, 750 and HCN CO
790 were analyzed. Table 2 is the compound
assignments of different wave numbers. Figure 3
CO2
shows corresponding fragments at different bands. In
the thermal degradation process, Nomex fiber releases 0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600
HCN, NO2, CO, CO2, H2O. When the temperature is Wave number/cm-
425 , thermal degradation of Nomex fiber is still not
obvious, and only corresponds to CO2 absorption peak Figure 3 FT-IR spectra of degrading Nomex fiber in
appearance, corresponding to CO, H2O, HCN, NO2, air.
absorption peak is not obvious. A small amount of
weak aromatic heterocyclic bonds break into fibers at 3.2 The thermal degradation of Kevlar 49 fiber
this time. When temperature rises to 600, H2O, HCN, by TGA-DTAFT-IR
CO2, CO absorption peaks appear. The molecular
strands break get strengthened, and hydrolysis occurs. In order to evaluate the thermal stability of Kevlar 49
When temperature rises to 700, all kinds of small fiber, from the TG and DTG curves, as shown in
molecule fragments corresponding to the absorption Figure 4, it is found that the curves change at about
peak appear significantly, in which the absorption peak 100, which is due to water evaporation in sample
of CO2 is the strongest. When the temperature which is not significantly observed. The initial
continues to rise to 750 , an increase in absorption decomposition temperature of Kevlar fiber is 548.1
peak of CO2 and decrease in absorption peak of CO and the terminal temperature of the decomposition is
occurs. The main reason is that the CO oxidizes to CO2 643.7 in air. In this stage, the mass loss is significant
in the presence of oxygen. When the temperature and obvious.
ascends to 790 , the absorption peak of CO
disappears.

Table 2 Compound assignments of wave numbers

Wave number Compound
range/cm-1 assignments
700~750 HCN
850~900 NH3
1200~1550 NO2
1750~1900 NO
2000~2250 CO
2250~2400, CO2
635~720
3025~3325 Aromatic compounds
3500~4000, H2O
1350~1850 Figure 4 The TG and DTG curves of Kevlar 49 fiber.

Weight loss at the peak occurs, heat absorption, According to TG curve, the infrared spectra of
complex depolymerization, random rupture, decomposition products at 550, 600, 650, and
hydrolysis, restructuring and other chemical reactions 700 were analyzed. Figure 5 shows corresponding
occur in Nomex fiber after 500. fragments at different bands.

165
 550
600
650
700
HCN CO
NO2
CO2 H2O
CO2
0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600
Wave number /cm-1
Figure 5 FT-IR spectra of degrading Nomex fiber in
air.
In the thermal degradation process, Kevlar 49 fiber
release HCN, NO2, CO, CO2, H2O. When the
temperature is 500 , thermal degradation of Kevlar
49 fiber is still not obvious, and only corresponding to
CO2 and H2O absorption peak appear, corresponding to
CO, HCN, NO2, absorption peak is not obvious. A
small amount of weak aromatic heterocyclic bonds
break into fibers at this time. When temperature rises
to 600 , H2O, HCN, CO2, CO absorption peaks
appear. The molecular strands break gets strengthened,
and hydrolysis occurs. When temperature rises to
650, all kinds of small molecule fragments
corresponding to the absorption peak appear
Table 3 The characteristic temperatures during thermal decomposition of fibers
Sample T0/ Tp/
Nomex 423.7
Kevlar 49 548.1
To is the onset temperature of the decomposition; Tp is the temperature of the maximum rate of weight loss; T 1/2 is
the temperature of half decomposition; Tt is the temperature of terminal decomposition.
4. Conclusions
The thermal degradation processes of aramid fibers
were studied by TGA-DTA/FT-IR. The experimental
results by TG show that the Kevlar 49 fiber has higher
onset temperature of decomposition than the Nomex
fiber, but the temperature of terminal decomposition of
Nomex is higher. The main decomposition products of
Nomex and Kevlar 49fiber are HCN, NO2, CO, CO2,
H2O which were found by the analysis of infrared
significantly, in which the absorption peak of CO2 is
the strongest. When the temperature continues to rise
to 700 , a decrease in absorption peak of CO2 and
H2O occurs and the absorption peak of CO disappears.
The main reason is that the CO oxidizes to CO2 in the
presence of oxygen and the Kevlar 49 fiber almost
completely decomposes.
Weight loss at the peak occurs, heat absorption,
complex depolymerization, random rupture,
hydrolysis, restructuring and other chemical reactions
occur in Kevlar 49 fiber after 500.
3.3 The characteristic temperatures of thermal
decomposition of Nomex and Kevlar 49 fibers
Table 3 shows the characteristic temperatures of
thermal decomposition of Nomex and Kevlar 49 fiber
from the analysis of TG and DTG curves. From the
Table 3, the differences between Nomex and Kevlar 49
fiber can be found clearly. The onset and the maximum
rate of weight loss temperature during the
decomposition of Kevlar 49 fiber is higher than Nomex,
but the temperature of half decomposition and terminal
decomposition temperature of Nomex is higher. It can
also be found that the thermal decomposition process is
completely different for the two fibers from the
infrared spectra of decomposition products.
T1/2/ Tt/
449.8 632.3 724.3
575.6 592.2 643.7
spectra of decomposition products. The thermal
decomposition process and temperatures of the two
kinds of fibres are completely different however their
thermal stability is similar.
From the experimental results it can be concluded
that both Nomex fiber and Kevlar 49 fiber have good
thermal stability. Hence these two aramid fibers can be
used as thermal protective materials.
166
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