Mechanical and thermal properties of attapulgite clay reinforced polymethylmethacrylate nanocomposites

To investigate the dispersion and nanofillers' interaction of rod‐like silicates (attapulgite, ATT) in the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) matrix, a novel in situ modification of ATT by toluene‐2,4‐di‐isocyanate (TDI) using mechanical mixing was exploited, which resulted in homogeneous dispersion and rod‐like texture of ATT nanorods. As a consequence, organo‐modified ATT/PMMA nanocomposites were prepared, which provided prominent improvements in strength, toughness, and thermal stability. High grafting efficiency of TDI on ATT surface was confirmed by FTIR spectra and SEM observations. The uniform dispersion of in situ TDI modified ATT nanorods in the PMMA which was clearly visible in the TEM micrographs, influenced the mechanical and thermal properties of the nanocomposites. The fibrous nanoparticles significantly confined the segmental motion, causing a 13.20°C increase in the glass transition temperature of 2 wt% in situ TDI modified ATT/PMMA nanocomposites. But at higher loadings little or no differences were observed for the reinforcement benefits provided by the in situ TDI modified ATT clay. By comparison, pre‐treated ATT clay severely fractured during mechanical mixing and showed little reinforcement benefits. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mechanical,thermal, and morphological properties of powder coating waste reinforced acetal copolymer

The present study investigates the individual effects of three different thermosetting waste materials, used as fillers, on the mechanical, thermal and flow properties of acetal copolymers (POM). Different amounts ranging from 5% to 30% by weight of hydrolyzed powder coating recyclates were mixed as filler material in POM. The matrix and the fillers were first dry-mixed and then compounds were prepared through melt extrusion. The resulting compounds were cooled, granulated, and then standard tensile test bars were produced through use of an injection-molding machine. We investigated the mechanical and thermal properties of test specimens, and tensile strength, bending strength and impact strength were evaluated as a function of type and amount of filler material in the POM matrix. In addition, the change in melt flow index of POM/filler mixtures was determined, before and after extrusion. Furthermore, the morphology of the specimens was examined via electron microscopy. The results of this investigation are encouraging and present an innovative approach to reutilize hydrolyzed electrostatic powder coating wastes with thermoset structures as fillers in acetal copolymers.     

Preparation of starch-based biocomposites reinforced with mercerized lignocellulosic fibers: Evaluation of their thermal,morphological, mechanical,and biodegradable properties

In the present paper, starch-based biocomposites have been prepared by reinforcing corn starch matrix with mercerized Abelmoschus esculentus lignocellulosic fibers. The effect of fiber content on mechanical properties of composite was investigated and found that tensile strength, compressive strength, and flexural strength at optimum fiber content were 69.1%, 93.7% and 105.1% increased to that of cross-linked corn starch matrix, respectively. The corn starch matrix and its composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis. The fiber reinforced composites were found to be highly thermal stable as compared to natural corn starch and cross-linked corn starch matrix. Further, water uptake and biodegradation studies of matrix and composites have also been studied.     

Mechanical and thermal properties of poly-ether ether ketone reinforced with CaCO3

CaCO₃/PEEK (poly-ether ether ketone) composites were prepared on a twin-screw extruder with different mass ratio of CaCO₃/PEEK from 0% to 30%. Four types of particles were used as filler in PEEK matrix. The influence of surface treatment with sulfonated PEEK (SPEEK) of the particles on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites was studied. The experiments included tensile tests, flexural tests, notched Izod impact tests, TGA, DSC and SEM. The modulus and yield stress of the composites increased with CaCO₃ particles loadings. This increase was attributed to the bonding between the particles and the PEEK matrix, as can be proved by the SEM pictures of tensile fracture surface of the composites. The impact strength of the composites was modified by the SPEEK coated on the CaCO₃ particle surface. DSC experiments showed that the particle content and surface properties influenced the glass transition temperature (T_g) and melting temperature (T_m) of the composites. The T_g increased with the content of fillers while T_m decreased. In this study the fillers treated were found to give better combination properties, which indicated that SPEEK played a constructive role in the CaCO₃/PEEK composites.     

A thermal study on moisture absorption by epoxy composites

The water sorption kinetics of an epoxy matrix-carbon fiber composite with different degrees of polymerization was studied. It was observed that the diffusion coefficients, determined perpendicularly to the fiber direction, are increased by increasing the cure degree. Only a small portion of the bonded water is released when the specimen are heated to 200 °C.The effects of moisture on some properties of the composite were also investigated. TheT _g values determined on fully polymerized samples, show lowerings of 70 degrees; moreover, the plasticization power of the bonded water increases on decrease of the temperature of conditioning of the specimens.Finally, the water present in the matrix considerably reduces the thermal stability of the composite.

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Zusammenfassung Es wurde die Wassersorptionskinetik eines Graphitfaserverbundstoffes auf Epoxymatrixbasis mit verschiedenen Polymerisationsgraden untersucht. Es zeigte sich, daß die senkrecht zur Faserrichtung bestimmten Diffusionskonstanten mit anwachsendem Vernetzungsgrad zunehmen. Beim Erhitzen des Materials auf 200 °C wird nur ein geringer Teil des gebundenen Wassers abgegeben. Der Einfluß des Feuchtgehaltes auf einige Eigenschaften des Verbundstoffes wurde ebenfalls untersucht. Die an vollkommen polymerisierten Proben bestimmtenT _g Werte zeigen eine Abnahme von 70 Grad; die Plastifizierungswirkung des gebundenen Wassers ist um so höher, je niedriger die Konditionierungstemperatur der Probe war. Das in der Matrix gegenwärtige Wasser senkt beträchtlich die Wärmebeständigkeit des Verbundstoffes.

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- . , , , . 200 °. . Tg, , 70 °. . , , .

     

Thermal properties of biocomposites

Thermal properties of new biocomposites prepared from modified starch matrix reinforced with natural vegetable fibres were studied. DSC and TG methods were applied to study thermal behaviour of biocomposites. Biocomposites were obtained in the laboratory twin-screw extruder. Two kinds of natural fibres were used, i.e. flax and cellulose in the amount of 0–40 mass%. DSC curves of biocomposites reveal glass transition temperature, attributed to the amorphous nature of the plasticized starch matrix. In general, incorporating natural fibres into modified starch matrix leads to an increase in glass transition temperature. Thermal degradation of modified starch matrix and cellulose reinforced biocomposites proceeds in three steps, whereas the degradation process of flax reinforced biocomposites occurs in two steps. For unreinforced matrix as well as for all biocomposites, regardless of type and amount of reinforcement, the major mass loss is observed at the temperature above 300°C. The increase in thermal stability with introduction of natural fibre is observed for both flax and cellulose reinforced biocomposites.     

Silkworm silk/poly(lactic acid) biocomposites: Dynamic mechanical, thermal and biodegradable properties

Silkworm silk/Poly(lactic acid) (silk/PLA) biocomposites with potential for environmental engineering applications were prepared by using melting compound methods. By means of Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Coefficient of thermal expansion test, Enzymatic degradation test and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the effect of silk fiber on the structural, thermal and dynamic mechanical properties and enzymatic degradation behavior of the PLA matrix was investigated. As silk fiber was incorporated into PLA matrix, the stiffness of the PLA matrix at higher temperature (70-160 °C) was remarkably enhanced and the dimension stability also was improved, but its thermal stability became poorer. Moreover, the presence of silk fibers also significantly enhanced the enzymatic degradation ability of the PLA matrix. The higher the silk fiber content, the more the weight loss.     

Mechanical and thermal characterization of sisal fiber reinforced polylactic acid composites

The advantages of green composites are including, but not limited to their environmental friendly nature, lightweight, reduction of production energy and costs, and recyclability. This work focuses on the mechanical, thermal, and dynamic mechanical properties of biocomposites. For that purpose, biosourced polymers were used, namely polylactic acid (PLA) and sisal fiber, and biocomposites were extruded and then injection molded with different contents of sisal fibers (5%, 10%, 15%). The results show that the increase of the rate of reinforcement improves the mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of the biocomposites made. By the increase of the sisal fiber content, the degree of crystallinity of the matrix was increased from 47% to 61%, as sisal fibers were acted as a nucleating agent for the PLA.     

Mechanical properties of clay‐reinforced polyamide

Intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposites were prepared by extrusion and injection of polyamide‐6 and highly swollen or slightly swollen montmorillonite, respectively. The microstructure of the nanocomposites has been studied previously. In this article, we investigated the influence of the preferential orientation of the montmorillonite sheets on the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. Dynamic mechanical analysis and tensile tests showed that the elastic modulus depends mainly on the filler loading. A parallel coupling could well account for the behavior of the nanocomposites. The calculated elastic and storage moduli of montmorillonite were set to 140 and 40 GPa, respectively. Compression tests were performed to study the anisotropy of the mechanical properties. The elastic modulus and flow strain were sensitive to the filler orientation. A Tandon–Weng approach was applied to consider the geometry of the filler. In all low‐deformation tests, no significant difference between intercalated and exfoliated systems was observed. Finally, the influence of the dispersion and exfoliation state of the filler on the ultimate properties of the nanocomposites (tensile tests) is discussed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 272–283, 2002     

Thermal and crystallization studies of nano-hydroxyapatite reinforced polyamide 66 biocomposites

The thermal and crystalline behaviour of nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) reinforced polyamide 66 (PA66) biocomposites was studied by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermal properties of PA66 and n-HA/PA66 composites were analysed by TG. The effect of hydroxyapatite on the melting and crystallization of PA66 was evaluated by DSC. DSC measurements exhibited an increase in the crystallization temperature, however, decrease in crystallinity with the addition of n-HA to the PA66 matrix, which was attributed to the hydrogen bonds between the n-HA surface and polyamide 66 molecules. With increase of n-HA content, the melting peak of the PA66 component shifted to higher temperature, suggesting constrained melting. The addition of n-HA to PA66 played the role of nucleating agent and enhanced the crystallization rate. Non-isothermal parameter a measured by Liu method varies from 1.13 to 1.18, from 1.02 to 1.07, and from 1.18 to 1.21 for PA66, 30 wt% n-HA/PA66 and 40 wt% n-HA/PA66, respectively, and the values of K_(T) systematically increase with rise in relative degree of crystallinity.     

Mechanical properties of attapulgite clay reinforced polyurethane shape-memory nanocomposites

Nanocomposites based on attapulgite clay and shape-memory polyurethane were fabricated by mechanical mixing. The mechanical properties of samples were evaluated using a micro-indentation tester. The untreated commercial attapulgite clay resulted in a significant decrease in glass transition temperature and hardness of the nanocomposite due to the presence of moisture as well as the clay’s amorphous structure and surface hydroxyl groups. The attapulgite nanoparticles were heat-treated at 850 °C, which resulted in crystallization of the particles and formation of layered attapulgite structure. The hardness of the nanocomposites composed of the heat treated clay powder dramatically increased as a function of clay content, which is attributed to the homogeneous dispersion of the nanofillers in the polymer matrix and strong filler-polymer interactions. Shape recovery of indentations has been demonstrated upon heating.     

Space-resolved thermal properties of thermoplastics reinforced with carbon nanotubes

Composites comprising biobased poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polyethylene (Bio-PE) were reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). These nanocomposites were analyzed using space-resolved thermal analysis (TA) integrated with atomic force microscopy. The deflection temperature, which indicates thermal-induced expansion and thermal transitions of the composite, was monitored by nanoscale TA (nanoTA) utilizing the displacement of a cantilever in contact with the material. Results were compared to bulk electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. Electrical conductivity was detected at lower MWCNT loadings for PLA than for Bio-PE (at 2.5 vs. 5 mass%). Maximal electrical conductivity of 27 S m^?1 for PLA and 0.7 S m^?1 for Bio-PE-based samples was reached at 10 mass% MWCNT loading. Tensile behavior combined with thermogravimetric analysis indicated strong MWCNT–Bio-PE interactions, in contrast to PLA. The glass transition and melting temperature measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were not changed by the increase in MWCNT loading. Increased deflection temperature was registered by bulk heat deflection measurements on Bio-PE, but not for PLA. The thermal transitions obtained by nanoTA at the nanoscale were in the same temperature range as the first transitions observed upon temperature ramp in DSC (e.g., glass transition and melt temperatures of PLA and Bio-PE, respectively). Remarkably, thermal expansion was detected by nanoTA for PLA- and Bio-PE-based composites below electrical percolation threshold as well as an increase in PLA softening temperature. Space-resolved nanothermal analysis revealed thermal phenomena that are otherwise overlooked when bulk methods are applied.     

Mechanical,thermal, and ultraviolet resistance properties of polycarbonate/cerium oxide composites

The composites containing polycarbonate (PC) and cerium oxide (CeO₂) nanoparticles as well as nanoparticles modified with stearic acid (mCeO₂) have been prepared using a melt blending method. The composites are studied by using FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy, and their tensile strength and ultraviolet (UV) resistance are examined. The results indicate that the introduction of CeO₂ nanoparticles at 1 wt% can improve the mechanical properties of PC, while a weight ratio that is over 1 wt% can lead to a reduction in the tensile strength. Compared with the PC/CeO₂ composites, the PC/mCeO₂ composites provide better mechanical properties. Besides, the introduction of CeO₂ nanoparticles gives PC promising UV resistance. However, different amounts of CeO₂ nanoparticles used provide similar thermal and UV resistance in PC. In a comparison of the PC/CeO₂ and PC/mCeO₂ composites, there are no apparent differences observed between CeO₂ and mCeO₂ on improving the UV resistance of PC.     

Crystallization,mechanical, thermal and rheological properties of polypropylene composites reinforced by magnesium oxysulfate whisker

Polypropylene(PP) composites containing magnesium oxysulfate whisker(MOSw) or lauric acid(LA) modified MOSw(LAMOSw) were prepared via melt mixing in a torque rheometer. The heterogeneous nucleating effect of LAMOSw was clearly observed in polarized light microscopy(PLM) pictures with the presence of an abundance of small spherulites. MOSw exhibited no nucleation effect and formed a few spherulites with large size. Compared with PP/MOSw composites, PP/LAMOSw exhibited better impact strength, tensile strength and nominal strain at break, ascribing to three possible reasons:(i) more β-crystal PP formed,(ii) better dispersity of LAMOSw in PP matrix and(iii) the plasticizing effect of LA. The results of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis(DMTA) indicated that brittleness of the PP matrix at low temperature was improved by the addition of LAMOSw, while the interfacial interactions between MOSw and PP matrix were actually weakened by LA, as evidenced by the higher tanδ values over the entire range of test temperatures. In terms of the rheological properties of the composites, both the η* and G′ at low frequencies increase with the addition of MOSw or LAMOSw, indicating that the PP matrix was transformed from liquid-like to solid-like. However, a network of whiskers did not form because no plateau was found in the G′ at low frequencies. With low filler content, LAMOSw produced a stronger solid-like behavior than MOSw mainly due to the better dispersion of the LAMOSw in PP matrix. However, for highly-filled composites, the η* of PP/LAMOSw at low frequencies was smaller than that of PP/MOSw composite, since the particleparticle contact effect played a major role.     

The effect of moisture absorption on the thermomechanical properties of particulates

Water absorption in particulate composites at ambient temperature influences their thermomechanical properties. Second Fick's law of diffusion was used in this paper to predict the diffusion coefficient of the composite materials tested. In all cases the matrix material was a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A polymer cured with 8 phr triethylene tetramine and filled with iron particles with an average diameter 150 μm at five distinct volume fractionsv _f =0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.16 and 0.20. The modification of the modulus of elasticity, ultimate stress, breaking strain and breaking energy due to moisture absorption was examined. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry was used to study the influence of the time exposure into water and the filler concentration of the particulates on their glass transition temperature. Finally, the void occupancy in the composite was evaluated from free volume considerations.     

Fabrication of exfoliated graphite reinforced silicone rubber composites - Mechanical,tribological and dielectric properties

The effect of exfoliated graphite (EG) on the mechanical, tribological and dielectric properties of the silicone rubber (QM) composites has been systematically investigated and analysed. Morphological analysis of the composites helps to understand the interfacial interaction between the filler and the rubber matrix as well as wear mechanism respectively. An enhancement in the mechanical, tribological and dielectric properties was observed with an increase in filler loading and better performance was observed at 7 phr of filler loading. The improvement in performance is attributed to the better interaction between the QM chains and the EG layers as evident from the AFM and TEM analysis. It is also evident from the Kraus plot which supports the reinforcing effect of EG in QM matrix.     

Mechanical, thermal, and fire properties of polylactide/starch blend/clay composites

Polylactide (PLA)/starch blend/clay and PLA/clay composites are prepared by melt blending. Structural and thermal characterizations are performed by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The fire properties are assessed on a dual cone calorimeter. Combustion residue and char formation is characterized by optical microscopy and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy. Although the clay is not fully intercalated/exfoliated, the composites exhibit a higher thermal stability and much reduced peak heat release rate, and the PLA/starch blend composite retains its mechanical properties. For the PLA/starch blend composite, smoke release is also considerably reduced. Catalyzed, oxidative decomposition is shown to occur early in the thermal decomposition of the composites, prior to increased thermal stability. The inclusion of clay promotes char formation and increases the quantity of carbonaceous char in the combustion residue. There is minimal migration of the clay to the surface prior to ignition and char is formed mainly after ignition and during burning. During the later stages of burning some of the char formed is converted to CO₂.     

Mechanical performance,thermal stability and morphological analysis of date palm fiber reinforced polypropylene composites toward functional bio-products

Cellulose - Sustainable bio-materials are now potential alternatives for synthetic composites to achieve more functional green products. However, the microstructure-performance synergy is critical...     

The effect of fiber content on the mechanical and thermal expansion properties of biocomposites based on microfibrillated cellulose

A new method to obtain composites of phenolic resin reinforced with microfibrillated cellulose with a wide fiber content was established and the mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile test. A linear increase in Young’s modulus was observed at fiber contents up to 40 wt%, with a stabilizing tendency for higher fiber percentages. These results were ratified by measurements of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) relative to fiber content, which indicated a strong thermal expansion restriction rate below 60 wt% fiber content, indicating the effective reinforcement attained by the cellulose microfibrils. The low CTE achieved of 10 ppm/K is one of the important properties of cellulose composites.     

Mechanical,thermal, and UV‐shielding behavior of silane surface modified ZnO‐reinforced phthalonitrile nanocomposites

In the present work, zinc oxide nanoparticles were treated with aminopropyl trimethoxy silane‐coupling agent and used as a new kind of reinforcement for a typical high performance bisphenol‐A‐based phthalonitrile resin. The resulted nanocomposites were characterized for their mechanical, thermal, and optical properties. Results from the tensile test indicated that the tensile strength and modulus as well as the toughness state of the matrix were all enhanced with the increasing of the nanoparticles amount. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the starting decomposition temperatures and the residual weight at 800°C were highly improved upon adding the nanofillers. At 6 wt% nanoloading, the glass transition temperature and the storage modulus were considerably enhanced reaching about 359°C and 3.7 GPa, respectively. The optical tests revealed that the neat resin possesses excellent UV‐shielding properties, which were further enhanced by adding the nanofillers. Furthermore, the fractured surfaces of the nanocomposites analyzed by scanning electron microscope exhibited homogeneous and rougher surfaces compared with that of the pristine resin. Finally, the good dispersion of the reinforcing phase into the matrix was confirmed by a high resolution transmission electron microscope. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.