Abstract
This work analyzes the thermal degradation and mechanical properties of iron (Fe)-containing MgAl layered double hydroxide (LDH)-based polypropylene (PP) nanocomposite. Ternary metal (MgFeAl) LDHs were prepared using the urea hydrolysis method, and Fe was used in two different concentrations (5 and 10 mol%). Nanocomposites containing MgFeAl-LDH and PP were prepared using the melt mixing method by a small-scale compounder. Three different loadings of LDHs were used in PP (2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt%). Rheological properties were determined by rheometer, and flammability was studied using the limiting oxygen index (LOI) and UL94 (V and HB). Color parameters (L*, a*, b*) and opacity of PP nanocomposites were measured with a spectrophotometer. Mechanical properties were analyzed with a universal testing machine (UTM) and Charpy impact test. The thermal behavior of MgFeAl-LDH/PP nanocomposites was studied using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The morphology of LDH/PP nanocomposites was analyzed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). A decrease in melt viscosity and increase in burning rate were observed in the case of iron (Fe)-based PP nanocomposites. A decrease in mechanical properties interpreted as increased catalytic degradation was also observed in iron (Fe)-containing PP nanocomposites. Such types of LDH/PP nanocomposites can be useful where faster degradation or faster recycling of polymer nanocomposites is required because of environmental issues.
Highlights
layered double hydroxide (LDH) are very useful inorganic materials that have been used for many years because of their possible changes in structure, synthesis methods, and ease of preparation [3]
There exist many techniques to prepare LDHs with a variety of metal combinations that can be custom-made to the desired applications
Pure (CP) or analytical grade (AR) reactants were used for all experiments without further treatment
Summary
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), known as hydrotalcite-like materials, are anionic clays with the formula [M1−x 2+ Mx3+ (OH)2 ]x+ ·[(An− )x/n ·yH2 O]x , where M2+ , M3+. An− are divalent metal cations, trivalent metal cations and interlayer anions, respectively [1,2,3]. LDHs are very useful inorganic materials that have been used for many years because of their possible changes in structure, synthesis methods, and ease of preparation [3]. There are different change possibilities in their structure, such as changes in composition, type of metallic cation, interlayer anions, and combinations of different metals in LDHs [6,7]. The ease of synthesis, low costs, and natural sources attract the researcher to work on these materials [8]. There exist many techniques to prepare LDHs with a variety of metal combinations that can be custom-made to the desired applications
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