Role of copper oxide nanoparticles and gamma irradiation in optimising mechanical and the DC-electrical properties of nylon 66

Abstract

This study used an aqueous precipitation method to synthesise copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles. Nylon 66/CuO-based nanocomposites were prepared through a melt-mixing process using CuO nanoparticles with differing contents (1, 2, 3 and 4 wt%) and varying doses of gamma radiation (100, 200 and 300 kGy). The study also investigated the impact of these combinations on the structural, mechanical and DC-electrical attributes of nylon 66. The combination of CuO nanoparticles and gamma irradiation caused nylon 66 to undergo structural changes verified through X-ray diffraction measurement and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the morphology of the nylon 66/CuO nanocomposites and revealed that the CuO nanoparticles belonging to the nylon 66 matrixes had a homogeneous dispersion. According to the mechanical finding, the influence of CuO nanoparticles and gamma irradiation significantly augmented the flexural strength and flexural modulus of the nanocomposites. However, this addition led to a decline of elongation at break. To better understand the tensile mechanism, a correlation of tensile strength using theoretical models premised on Money, Einstein and Pukanszky were undertaken. The optimal deviation was exhibited by the Pukanszky model using tensile plots on an experimental basis. The study also examined the nanocomposite’s DC-electrical conductivity; electrical conductivity increased with CuO nanoparticle content and gamma irradiation. For every sample, the prevailing transport mechanism was the Poole–Frenkel emission. This finding is encouraging for the development of innovative materials with augmented tensile strength and nanoelectronic devices.