Thermal decomposition kinetics and mechanical analysis of boron carbide‐reinforced polymer nanocomposites

Abstract In the present study, the mechanical properties and thermal degradation kinetics of PVA/PVP/PEO (polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/polyethylene oxide) blend, along with their composites containing various percentages of boron carbide (B 4 C), are examined. The solvent‐casting method is used for preparing the composites. Thermal degradation is analyzed using both Kissinger and FWO (Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa) methods to determine the activation energies ( E a ). The E a varied with the B 4 C content, with higher B 4 C percentages leading to increased thermal stability. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was employed to evaluate the mechanical properties, revealing that B 4 C addition enhances the Young's modulus ( E ) while decreasing strain. The highest strain ( ε ) was observed in the PVA/PEO/PVP blend, reaching 184%. The ε values for PVA/PEO/PVP‐B 4 C %5 , PVA/PEO/PVP‐B 4 C %10 , and PVA/PEO/PVP‐B 4 C %20 composites were determined as 45.30%, 29.15%, and 16.48%, respectively. The E was measured as 0.12 MPa for PVA/PEO/PVP, while the highest E value of 0.64 MPa was observed in the PVA/PVP/PEO‐B 4 C 20% composite. Additionally, chemometric analysis using FTIR data and clustering algorithms confirmed the homogeneity of the blends. These findings indicate that B 4 C‐reinforced PVA/PVP/PEO composites could serve as alternatives to conventional polymers, particularly in applications requiring enhanced thermal and mechanical stability. Highlights B 4 C addition increases the thermal stability of the PVA/PVP/PEO blend. DMA analysis shows that B 4 C addition increases the elastic modulus. Activation energies were calculated by the Kissinger and FWO methods. PVA/PVP/PEO‐B 4 C composites offer superior mechanical resistance.