Abstract
Ethylene polymerization was done to form polyethylene nano-composite with nanoaluminum nitride using zirconocene catalysts. Results show that the catalytic activity is maximum at a filler loading of 15 mg nanoaluminum nitride. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that percentage crystallinity was also marginally higher at this amount of filler. Thermal behavior of polyethylene nanocomposites (0, 15, 30, and 45) mg was studied by DSC and thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA). Morphology of the component with 15 mg aluminium nitride is more fibrous as compared to 0 mg aluminium nitride and higher filler loading as shown by SEM images. In order to understand combustibility behavior, tests were performed on microcalorimeter. Its results showed decrease in combustibility in polyethylene nanocomposites as the filler loading increases.
Highlights
In the world of thermoplastic, polyolefins find wide range of application because of its unique properties such as low cost, light weight, high strength, durability, noncorrosive nature, and ease in processability
The effect of microsized (≤10 μm) aluminium nitride (AlN) on the properties of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) prepared by solution blending was studied by Boey et al [21] who reported that AlN can act as a good nucleating agent in the crystallinity of the polymer
Further increase in filler content does not improve the activity of polymerization compared to the control (Table 1, entry no. 3 and 4).This observation is similar to that observed earlier in case of Mn-doped-titania on the activity of metallocene catalyst by in situ ethylene polymerization [25]
Summary
In the world of thermoplastic, polyolefins find wide range of application because of its unique properties such as low cost, light weight, high strength, durability, noncorrosive nature, and ease in processability. Polyethylene (PE) was synthesized using metallocene catalysts [1]. Several studies have been made to improve the various properties of polyethylene by the addition of organic and inorganic fillers [9,10,11,12,13]. Among these fillers, inorganic fillers increase the thermal properties of the polyethylene significantly [14,15,16,17,18]. In the last two decades, among various inorganic fillers, aluminium nitride (AlN) is of special interest due to its unique thermal properties [19]. The present work reports studies on the thermal properties of polyethylene nanocomposites prepared by using metallocene catalysts in the presence of AlN. Since AlN provided better thermal behaviour within the polymer matrix, in Journal of Nanomaterials the present paper, effect on combustible behaviour was noted with the help of microcalorimeter
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