Interfacial interaction and mechanical properties of nylon 6‐potassium titanate composites prepared by in‐situ polymerization

Abstract

A new method was proposed for the synthesis of nylon 6-potassium titanate composites with high strength and high modulus. Dispersion quality of potassium titanate whiskers in the polyamide matrix and the degree of interfacial adhesion between polyamide and whiskers are the key points with ϵ-caproamide and potassium titanate whiskers, which were modified by an alkylsilane coupling agent with n-aminocapric acid as initiator through in-situ polymerization. The contact angle test showed that the surface energy of modified whiskers is similar to nylon 6's, while that of the unmodified ones was much higher than nylon 6's. These results suggest that the modified whiskers would disperse homogeneously in the nylon 6 matrix. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) results fortified the above hypothesis. According to infrared (IR) spectra, the sample of whiskers that were separated from the modified composite by formic acid have the characteristic peak of nylon 6's; and the whiskers that were separated from unmodified composite do not have them, which suggested that there are chemical bonds between modified whiskers and nylon 6 matrix, and the whiskers served as chemical cross-link points in the composite. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 2317–2322, 1997