Improving the Oxidation Resistance of Polyphenylene Sulfide Fibers by Doping Copper Nanoparticles Loaded Halloysite Nanotubes

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fiber is widely used in the fields of high-temperature filtration, protective clothing, electronics, automobile, and aircrafts sectors relying on its excellent heat and chemical resistance. However, PPS fiber is easily oxidized under high temperature, which vastly restricts its applications. In this study, using the copper nanoparticles loaded halloysite nanotubes (HNTs@Cu) as a nanofiller, we prepared a PPS composite fiber with improved oxidation resistance. The successful loading of copper nanoparticles into HNTs was demonstrated through TEM and elemental analysis. The crystallinity, orientation, thermal and mechanical properties of PPS nanocomposite fibers were investigated via DSC, XRD, WXRD, TGA and mechanical test. While the mechanical performance of the composite fibers was slightly decreased, the thermal stability was improved when comparing to the neat PPS fiber. The composite fiber with 1.0 wt.% loading of HNTs@Cu showed an over 100% retention rate of breaking strength after thermal oxidative aging, suggesting an improvement in oxidation resistance of PPS fiber. This work provides an effective and accessible method for improving the thermal stability and oxidation resistance of PPS fibers, which thereby helps to extend the applications of PPS fibers in high temperature environment.