Thermal behavior of multiwall carbon nanotube/zeolite nanocomposites

Summary In this study we report the synthesis and thermal characterization of multiwall carbon nanotubes containing zeolite based nanocomposites. Three different zeolites (LTA, FAU and MFI) were used in this study and it was observed that the morphologies of the synthesized nanocomposites were significantly different. For FAU zeolite nanocrystals with a few nm in diameter were nucleated on the nanotubes covering their surface, however, for LTA and MFI zeolites bulky crystals with nanotubes crossing them were observed by transmission electron microscopy. One of the most important results of our study was the generation of secondary mesoporosity in the zeolites after removing the carbon nanotubes.     

Thermal and combustion behavior of polyethersulfone-boehmite nanocomposites

In this paper, we report a thorough study on the thermal stability and fire behavior of polyethersulfone (PES) filled with 2 wt% nano-sized aluminum oxide hydroxide particles (boehmite). The nanocomposite was prepared through melt compounding technique in a co-rotating twin screw extruder. The obtained morphology of the composite was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with elemental analysis, proving that an even distribution of sub-micron boehmite particles was obtained. PES shear modulus, measured by DMA, is increased by 30% in the boehmite nanocomposite. Thermal stability of the produced materials was studied through thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), whereas the combustion behavior through cone calorimeter and vertical burning (UL-94) tests. Cone calorimeter results show that a significant overall flame retardant effect was observed due to the presence of boehmite nanoparticles, which could not be detected by UL-94 fire scenario where neat PES is already top ranked V0.     

Thermal and mechanical properties of PE/organoclay nanocomposites

Polyethylene/montmorillonite clay nanocomposites were obtained via direct melt intercalation. The clay was organically modified with four different types of quaternary ammonium salts. The objective of this work is to study the use of montmorillonite clay in the production of nanocomposites by means on rheological, mechanical and crystallization properties of nanocomposites and to compare to the properties of the matrix and PE/unmodified clay nanocomposites. In general, the tensile test showed that the yield strength and modulus of the nanocomposites are close to the pure PE. Apparently, the mixture with Dodigen salt seems to be more stable than the pure PE and PE/unmodified clay.     

Microwave-hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic properties of biomass charcoal/TiO2 nanocomposites

Biomass charcoal-doped titanium dioxide (C/TiO₂) composites were proposed by microwave-hydrothermal and calcination method using tetrabutyl titanate as the titanium source and lignin as the carbon source. TiO₂ crystals with different morphologies could be successfully adsorbed onto the surface of biomass charcoal. These products were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), derivative thermogravimetric (DTG), UV–vis diffuser flection spectroscopy (UV–vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The photocatalytic activities of the as-obtained composites were checked under visible light irradiation. The results showed that both the microwave-hydrothermal temperature and time played an important role in the microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the samples. The rapid microwave-hydrothermal with the thermal post-treatment provides a promising route for the fabrication of biomass charcoal-doped nanocomposites materials.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of BiOBr/graphene nanocomposites and their enhanced photocatalytic activity

BiOBr/graphene nanocomposites were synthesized by a green single-step microwave strategy and characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared BiOBr nanoplates and BiOBr/graphene nanocomposites for the photodegeneration of organic dyes in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation was investigated. The results show that BiOBr/graphene nanocomposites have a higher photocatalytic activity than bare BiOBr nanoplates.     

Morphology and fracture behaviour of polyethylene/Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites

Fracture behaviour of polyethylene (PE)/Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) based nanocomposites has been studied by essential work of fracture (EWF) approach. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis have been used to investigate the morphological features of these nanocomposites. A maximum in the non-essential work of fracture was observed at 5 wt.% LDH demonstrating enhanced resistance to crack propagation compared to pure PE. Morphological analyses of the nanocomposites show that the dispersed LDH platelets are partially exfoliated and also forms clusters with polymer chains remaining entrapped within. Rheological analyses show that the typical low-frequency Newtonian flow behaviour, as observed in unfilled polymer, shifts to shear-thinning behaviour with increasing LDH concentration. At 5 wt.% LDH a ductile-to-brittle transition has been observed. Fracture surface investigation by SEM reveals the arresting of the plastic crack growth by the LDH particle clusters, which is more significant at 5 wt.% LDH content. At higher LDH concentrations, the number of such particle clusters increases causing decrease in the average distance between them. As a result large-scale plastic deformation of the matrix at higher LDH concentration is effectively arrested favouring small strain failure and this in turn reaffirms the possible existence of a ductile-to-brittle transition. The study in general reveals that the resistance against crack initiation (essential work of fracture: EWF) and crack propagation (non-essential work of fracture: βw_p) in these nanocomposites are structurally correlated with the matrix behaviour and the morphology (state of LDH particle dispersion) respectively.     

Preparation of PANI-TiO2 nanocomposites and their solid-phase photocatalytic degradation

A series of polyaniline-anatase TiO₂ (PANI-TiO₂) nanocomposite powders with different PANI:TiO₂ ratios were prepared by ‘in-situ’ deposition oxidative polymerization of aniline hydrochloride using ammonium persulfate (APS) as oxidant in the presence of ultrafine grade powder of anatase TiO₂ cooled in an ice bath. And the solid-phase photocatalytic degradation of PANI-TiO₂ nanocomposites was investigated under the ambient air in order to assess the feasibility of developing photodegradable polymers. The photodegradation of the composite powders was compared with that of pure PANI powders by performing weight loss monitoring, elemental analysis, FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The PANI-TiO₂ nanocomposite powders showed highly enhanced photodegradation and the photodegradation increased with decreasing ratios of PANI:TiO₂. A weight loss of about 6.8% was found for the PANI-TiO₂ (1:3) nanocomposite; however, the weight loss of the PANI-HCl powder was only 0.3% after being irradiated for 60 h under air. The photocatalytic degradation of the nanocomposite powders accompanied the peak intensity decrease in the FT-IR spectra at 1235 cm⁻¹, attributed to C-N stretching mode for benzenoid unit, and the depigmentation of the powders due to the visible light scattering from growing cavities. The elemental analysis and XPS analysis of the composite showed that the bulk and surface concentrations of N decreased with irradiation. A possible mechanism for the photocatalytical oxidative degradation was also mentioned.     

The thermolysis behavior of Ag/PAMAMs nanocomposites

Ag/polyamidoamine (PAMAM) nanocomposites were produced by photoreduction of relevant metallic salts in different generations of PAMAM (PAMAMs) methanol solutions under room temperature and ambient pressure. The obtained Ag nanoparticles were quite uniform in size with a diameter of about 15 nm. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that the amount of Ag nanoparticles could well affect the thermal stability of PAMAMs. As the mass ratio of Ag nanoparticles to PAMAMs increased, the weight-losing ratios decreased. Meanwhile, TGA curves also indicated that the thermal behavior of Ag/PAMAMs was greatly different in the two stages of low (130~280 °C) and high temperature (280~450 °C) range; the loading of Ag nanoparticles mainly influences the thermal stability of PAMAMs in high temperature region (280~450 °C). Moreover, the multistage decomposition profile of derivative thermal gravimetry curves suggested that there might contain some intermediate Ag/PAMAMs type of composites.     

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of ZnO-Au25 nanocomposites

ZnO-Au₂₅ nanocomposites were synthesized by doping Au₂₅ nanoclusters into the porous ZnO nanospheres. It was notable that the ultrasmall Au₂₅ nanoclusters possessed uniform sizes and fine dispersibility on the porous ZnO supports. A considerable correlation between the loading of Au₂₅ nanoclusters and the photocatalytic activity was found. Compared with the pure ZnO nanospheres, the ZnO-Au₂₅ nanocomposites exhibited more efficient photocatalytic activity in terms of degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in an aqueous solution. In addition, the possible photocatalytic mechanisms are discussed in this work. This strategy may be helpful for preparing other novel hybrid nanocomposites with well-defined structures and superior performances.     

Inactivation of bacterial endospores by photocatalytic nanocomposites

A novel biocidal photocatalytic nanocomposite, composed of TiO(2) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), was synthesized via wet chemistry followed by a heat treatment. Uniform anatase coatings on MWNTs were successfully obtained with a thickness of a few nanometers. The nanostructure of the composite was determined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The needle-like shape of the nanocomposite provided more than three times higher photocatalytic specific surface area than commercial TiO(2) nanoparticles (Degussa P25) when dispersed in water. Moreover, under ultraviolet (UV) radiation the excited electrons can be trapped at the interface between the TiO(2) layer and MWNTs and they can also be scavenged through the conductive graphitic layers. Thus, an intense photochemical reaction yielding a powerful biocide can be expected. Irradiating bacterial endospores (Bacillus cereus) with solar UV lamps in presence of the novel photocatalyst successfully inactivated the spores while solar UV lamps only or solar UV Lamps with Degussa P25 showed no significant inactivating behavior. Performance of photocatalytic nanocomposites was assessed based on time to achieve 90% inactivation of spores (LD(90)) and also in terms of time required to achieve a 1.0 log(10) reduction of spores in the tail region of the inactivation curve.     

Thermoelasticity and stress relaxation behavior of polychloroprene/organoclay nanocomposites

Polychloroprene/organoclay nanocomposites (ENC) were characterized by X-ray scattering, DSC and stretching calorimetry techniques.The infinite cluster of highly anisometric organoclay particles was likely to set on at filler volume fraction as low as ? ? 0.04. Quantitative analysis of thermoelastic behavior over the entire range of relative elongations provided additional support for the concept of strain-dependent strain amplification factor as the major parameter controlling the thermomechanical properties of the ENC. Low values of the fitting parameter C in the modified equation for the total heats of stretching were regarded as evidence for the reduced exothermal effects of external friction between organoclay nanoparticles coated with the boundary interphase. Stress relaxation behavior of the ENC was qualitatively consistent with the original assumption that after initial stretching to the highest elongation (λ_lim) the pre-existing infinite clusters of filler particles were broken into isolated clusters which remained structurally similar, whatever the subsequent stretching to λ_f < λ_lim.     

The important role of tetrahedral Ti4+ sites in the phase transformation and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanocomposites

Highly photoactive, tetrahedral Ti4+ sites can be created, other than in zeolite cavities and on silica substrate, in mixed-phase TiO2 nanocomposites. The tetrahedral Ti4+ species was shown to be an intermediate formed during the thermally driven phase transformation from anatase to rutile.     

Polymorphic behavior in syndiotactic polystyrene/clay nanocomposites

X‐ray diffraction methods were used in an investigation of the structural changes in syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS)/clay nanocomposites. sPS/clay was prepared by the intercalation of sPS polymer into layered montmorillonite. Both X‐ray diffraction data and transmission electron microscopy micrographs of sPS/clay nanocomposites indicated that most of the swellable silicate layers were exfoliated and randomly dispersed in the sPS matrix. The X‐ray diffraction data also showed the presence of polymorphism in the sPS/clay nanocomposites. This polymorphic behavior was strongly dependent on the thermal history of the sPS/clay nanocomposites from the melt and on the content of clay in the sPS/clay nanocomposites. Quenching from the melt induced crystallization into the α‐crystalline form, and the addition of montmorillonite probably increased heterophase nucleation of the α‐crystalline form. The effect of the melt crystallization of sPS and sPS/clay nanocomposites at different temperatures on the crystalline phases was also examined. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 736–746, 2002     

Thermal stability and flammability properties of heterophasic PP-EP/EVA/organoclay nanocomposites

A study on the thermal behavior and flammability properties of the heterophasic polypropylene-(ethylene-propylene) copolymer (PP-EP)/poly(ethylene vinyl acetate) (EVA)/montmorillonite nanocomposite is presented. Nanoclay nanocomposites were prepared using a twin screw extruder. Both the fluidity of the EVA phase and compatibility conditions between PP-EP and EVA were used in order to obtain the required nanocomposites. Therefore, no additional compatibilizer was required to achieve the clay dispersion. Products exhibited the partially exfoliated/intercalated nanoclay dispersion. Thermogravimetric analyses indicated that nanoclays retard thermal degradation depending on nanoclay concentration. The retarding process was assigned to the exfoliation and dispersion of the silicate layers which impeded heat diffusion to the macromolecules. Thermal studies, under non-isothermal crystallization, indicated the lack of influence of nanoclay on the thermal behavior. Flammability characteristics were however affected by the nanoclay layers which overall generated flame retardation both in the EVA host and in the complex nanocomposites.     

复合卤氧化铋纳米材料的合成及其光催化性能

采用低温沉淀法合成了一系列Bi OMxN1-x(M,N=Cl、Br、I)(0X1)复合材料,通过XRD、FESEM、TEM、EDS、UV-vis和PL等一系列表征和对有机物罗丹明光催化降解性能的研究表明:通过对复合材料合成过程中卤素离子含量的控制,使得此类固溶体具有独特的微观形貌和可控能带隙,使其在可见光下具有独特的光催化性能。在相同的光照条件下,Bi OCl0.5Br0.5、Bi OCl0.75I0.25和Bi OBr0.75I0.25相对于其他同系列的Bi OMxN1-x(M,N=Cl、Br、I)(0X1)微球样品而言,具有最好的光催化性能。     

Elastomer/LDH nanocomposites: Synthesis and studies on nanoparticle dispersion, mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) based elastomer nanocomposites have been synthesized and characterized in terms of nanoparticle dispersion, mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion. Since LDH has basic hydroxyl groups on its surface, its potential as reinforcing filler in elastomers and in additionally a crosslinking agent in carboxylated elastomers has been investigated in details. For this purpose, two different elastomers having widely different polarities and functional groups (e.g., ethylene propylene diene terpolymer, i.e. EPDM and carboxylated nitrile rubber, i.e. XNBR) have been used as the matrix. The pristine LDH based on Mg and Al was modified with decane sulfonate by the regeneration method. The morphological analysis of the nanocomposites (done by X-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy) shows that in both matrices LDH particles are dispersed in three different forms, i.e. as primary particles, as exfoliated layers and as soft clusters formed by both of them. However, their relative proportion differs drastically in the two matrices. We have shown in this study that the LDH can significantly improve the mechanical properties in both the system. In XNBR/LDH nanocomposites containing no conventional metal oxide curative, this improvement is very prominent due to secondary interaction between LDH and XNBR matrix indicating that LDH can crosslink carboxalated elastomers. It is also observed that LDH particle promotes strain-induced crystallization in XNBR/LDH. The fracture surface analysis shows that in XNBR/LDH nanocomposite very stable polymer-filler interface is formed and tensile failure takes place through the matrix rather than through the interface. In case of EPDM/LDH nanocomposites the opposite is observed and the polymer matrix hardly wets the surface of the LDH particle.     

Non-isothermal crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene/copper nanocomposites

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The Non-isothermal crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/copper nanocomposites with four different mass percentages (0.5, 1.0, 2.0...     

Nonisothermal crystallization behavior of syndiotactic polystyrene/montmorillonite nanocomposites

X‐ray diffraction methods and differential scanning calorimetry were used to investigate the crystalline structure and crystallization kinetics of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS)/clay nanocomposites. X‐ray diffraction data showed the presence of polymorphism in sPS/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites, which was strongly dependent on the processing conditions (premelting temperature and cooling rate) of the sPS/MMT nanocomposites and on the content of MMT in the sPS/MMT nanocomposites. The α‐crystalline form could be transformed into β‐crystalline forms at higher premelting temperatures. The nonisothermal melt‐crystallization kinetics and melting behavior of the sPS/MMT nanocomposites were also studied at various cooling rates. The correlation of the crystallization kinetics, melting behavior, and crystalline structure of the sPS/MMT nanocomposites was examined. The results indicated that the addition of a small amount of MMT to sPS caused a change in the mechanism of nucleation and the crystal growth of the sPS crystallite. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 560–570, 2003     

Fabrication of PET/BiOI/SnO2 heterostructure nanocomposites for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

Heterojunction BiOI/SnO₂ nanocomposites have been facilely synthesized by using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and a hydrothermal method, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanofibers (NFs) were utilized as a photocatalyst carrier to support the BiOI/SnO₂ nanocomposites. PET/BiOI/SnO₂ NFs displayed excellent photocatalytic ability towards methyl orange (MO) and tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to investigate the morphology, crystal structure and chemical state of the PET/BiOI/SnO₂ nanofibers. Photoluminescence (PL) and active species trapping experiments indicated that photoinduced charge separation promoted the formation of holes (h⁺) and superoxide radicals (•O²_-). Moreover, a photodegradation mechanism was proposed to illustrate that the formation of a Fermi level equilibrium state between semiconductors accelerated charge separation in the semiconductor. This study is meaningful for providing new inspiration to design and fabricate novel heterostructure photocatalysts with enhanced photocatalytic activity.