Processing of Polypropylene-Organic Montmorillonite Nanocomposite by Equal Channel Multiangular Extrusion

V A Beloshenko,A V Voznyak,V G Grinyov,Yu V Voznyak,V G Krasheninnikov,L A Novokshonova

doi:10.1155/2016/8564245

Abstract

By the example of polypropylene-organic montmorillonite composite (PP-OMMT), the abilities of the method of equal channel multiangular extrusion have been studied with respect to the modification of the structure and the properties of polymeric nanocomposites. With using X-ray structure analysis, TEM, DSC, and dilatometry, it has been demonstrated that this kind of processing provides an additional intercalation of the polymer into OMMT tactoids with the succeeding exfoliation and facilitates an increase in the aspect ratio, the degree of platelet orientation, the crystalline lamellar thickness, and a decrease in the dispersion of the crystallite thickness, as well as the formation of biaxial orientation of the OMMT and PP crystals. The observed structure rearrangements determine enhanced microhardness, ductility, and the heat distortion temperature of the PP-OMMT composite.

Highlights

Polymeric nanocomposites are of substantial scientific and practical interest due to possible formation of an enhanced level of physical and mechanical properties at extremely low content of a nanofiller [1]
With using X-ray structure analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and dilatometry, it has been demonstrated that this kind of processing provides an additional intercalation of the polymer into OMMT tactoids with the succeeding exfoliation and facilitates an increase in the aspect ratio, the degree of platelet orientation, the crystalline lamellar thickness, and a decrease in the dispersion of the crystallite thickness, as well as the formation of biaxial orientation of the OMMT and PP crystals
The main specific feature of the curve of OMMT wide-angle scattering is the existence of an intensive maximum with the peak at the scattering angle of 3.2 degrees that corresponds to the periodicity of 2.76 nm

Summary

Introduction

Polymeric nanocomposites are of substantial scientific and practical interest due to possible formation of an enhanced level of physical and mechanical properties at extremely low content of a nanofiller [1]. The reason is creation of nanoscale structures where the filler particles are well stratified and dispersed within the polymer matrix. The efficiency of property enhancement is determined by the filler shape, strainstrength characteristics, the aspect ratio, volume fraction, and interfacial adhesion [2, 3]. No one provides control of the structural parameters of both the nanofiller (filler aspect ratio and orientation) and the polymeric matrix (crystalline lamellar thickness and lamellar orientation), to obtain additional facilities of the control of the morphology and the properties of polymer nanocomposites

Methods

Results

Conclusion