Molecular response of polyethylene nanocomposites to high velocity impact: a Raman observation

Abstract

A Raman observation was carried out to understand the molecular response of polyethylene (PE) to high velocity impact in presence of carbon nanotubes and carbon black, respectively. The high velocity impact was performed in a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. The change of molecular vibration detected by a Raman spectroscopy indicated that the phase transition of nanofiller-induced crystallites took place under high velocity impact in the nanocomposites, whereas it was not found in PE. It was believed that the phase transition brought by nanofillers could benefit the energy dissipation of the PE nanocomposites under high velocity impact.