Abstract
Hybrid composites of polypropylene (PP)/sodium montmorillonite (Na-MMT)/short polyamide fibers (PAfs) were prepared by reactive melt mixing in a Brabender plastograph. To enhance filler interactions within polypropylene, a functionalizing agent (FA) and a coupling agent were added to the Na-MMT and PAfs, respectively. An organic peroxide/sulfur mixture and tetramethylthiuram disulfide as an activator for sulfur were used to functionalize Na-MMT; on the other hand, the PAfs surface was treated using stearic acid. The aim of this study is to investigate how the morphology and the structural properties of 3, 5, and 7 wt% recycled functionalized sodium montmorillonite nanocomposites (f-Na-MMT) are affected by the presence of 5 wt% treated short polyamide fibers (t-PAfs). According to the obtained results, 5 wt% recycled f-Na-MMT/5 wt% t-PAfs/PP hybrid composite showed Na-MMT layers exfoliation. The nucleating effect of f-Na-MMT and t-PAfs was indicated by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. Morphological analysis of the hybrid composites was performed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical polarized microscopy (POM), showing a good dispersion of the fibers with an interesting interfacial adhesion between the PP and t-PAfs phases. Hybrid composites of PP/f-Na-MMT/t-PAfs are considered for automotive industry.
Highlights
The increasing demand in recent years for new lightweight, recyclable, and performing materials has guided the search for reinforced polymer systems [1]
In order to improve or modify certain thermomechanical properties of polymers for specific applications, composites based on short fibers reinforced polymers find increasing applications in engineering and consumer products [7]
Numerous studies have been reported concerning the enhancement of the interfacial interaction between the polymer/fibers phases [9,10,11,12]
Summary
The increasing demand in recent years for new lightweight, recyclable, and performing materials has guided the search for reinforced polymer systems [1]. Polymers are traditionally reinforced with synthetic or natural inorganic fillers in order to improve their properties and reduce their costs [2]. In order to improve or modify certain thermomechanical properties of polymers for specific applications, composites based on short fibers reinforced polymers find increasing applications in engineering and consumer products [7]. Nowadays we are witnessing increasing use of nanoscale composites that can enhance selected properties of related polymers [13]. Nanocomposites based on clay and layered silicates have been most widely investigated [14]. Montmorillonite (MMT) is one of the most used layered silicates. It is a 2 : 1 aluminosilicate, which is formed by two silica tetrahedral layers shared an octahedral sheet of aluminium or magnesium hydroxide [15, 16]. Stacked between the two layers is a regular Van der Waals gap called interlayer space or gallery
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