Polydopamine modified polymeric carbon nitride nanosheet based ABS nanocomposites for better thermal, frictional and mechanical performance

Abstract

The synthesis and modification of polymeric carbon nitride nanosheets (NPCN) and their exploration toward enhanced thermal and mechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) nanocomposites are described. Polymeric carbon nitride was synthesized by the thermal treatment method and subsequently modified using polydopamine (PDA) through a simple chemical treatment. Both raw and modified fillers (NPCN and PDA@NPCN) were characterized using detailed spectroscopic analyses. The modified filler was then used to fabricate composites with an ABS polymer matrix, targeting the improvement of various properties of the resulting nanocomposites. Although NPCN has been used to modify various polymer matrices, NPCN modified with polydopamine via. non-covalent interactions has not been reported to date for modifying the properties of polymers. Here, the non-covalent interaction developed via a promising eco-friendly bioinspired method has a positive impact on improving the performances of the ABS matrix. The major objective of the current study is to investigate the interfacial interaction between polydopamine modified polymeric carbon nitride nanosheets and the ABS matrix, and to determine its influence on the thermal, frictional and mechanical performance of the developed nanocomposite. Preliminary analyses indicated the successful incorporation and interaction between PDA@NPCN and ABS. The mechanical studies of the nanocomposites revealed that the tensile strength and frictional behavior improved up to 29 and 51%, respectively, with the lower addition of PDA@NPCN content. Pyrolysis-combustion flow calorimetric studies showed that NPCN had no negative effect on the flammability of ABS. This approach finds potential applications in enhancing the bearing nature of the polymer system without affecting its thermal stability and flammability.