Acrylate Nanocomposites Research Articles

Highly improved UV-shielding and mechanical properties of UV-curable epoxy acrylate nanocomposites by incorporating functionalized aramid nanofibers

Highly improved UV-shielding and mechanical properties of UV-curable epoxy acrylate nanocomposites by incorporating functionalized aramid nanofibers

Improved photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible light using acrylic nanocomposite contained silane grafted nano TiO2

Removal of organic dyes from wastewater by photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) under visible light has attracted attention of many scientists. In this research, TiO2 nanoparticles were surface modified by aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) at different concentrations (1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 wt%). The nanoparticles were applied to acrylic latex at 1, 3, and 5 wt% to prepare photocatalytic nanocomposite paints. The modified nanoparticles were evaluated for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in an aqueous solution as model-polluted wastewater. The modified nanoparticles showed 30, 29, and 22% enhancement in photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue compared to the pure TiO2 nanoparticles under UV, visible and solar lights, respectively. Using the modified nanoparticles in the acrylic film caused 31.6 and 56.3% improvement in the tensile strength and toughness compared to the pure nanoparticles containing sample. The modified nanoparticles considerably enhanced the light absorbance capacity of the acrylic paint. On this basis, the modified paints (at 3 wt% loading of nanoparticles) showed 29, 27, and 20% improvements in discoloration of methylene blue stain compared to the pure nano TiO2 containing nanocomposite under UV, visible, and solar lights, respectively.

Fabricating core-shell of silane modified nano ZnO; Effects on photocatalytic degradation of benzene in air using acrylic nanocomposite

In this work, ZnO nanoparticles were surface modified using bis-(triethoxysilylpropyl)amine (BTPA) at different silane concentrations and applied as photocatalyst to water based acrylic film to degrade benzene in gaseous phase under UV/Vis lights. The pure and modified nanoparticles were characterized using FTIR, TGA, BET, XRD, XPS, I-V, photocurrent response and photoluminescence analysis. The results showed that the band gap of the nanoparticles decreased from 3.21 to 2.98 eV and the specific surface area increased by silanization at silane stoichiometric concentration (1X). The mechanical properties of the pure and modified ZnO containing acrylic nanocomposites were investigated. The results showed that addition of the modified nanoparticles (at 3 wt%) to the acrylic matrix increased the tensile strength by 197.9 and 123.3% and modulus by about 288.8 and 185.7% compared to the pristine and pure nanoparticle containing acrylic films. It was found that using silanized nanoparticles in acrylic film increased photocatalytic degradation of benzene in gaseous phase by about 20% compared to the pure nano ZnO containing nanocomposite. The benzene removal efficiency of about 97.28 and 85.39% was obtained for the modified acrylic nanocomposites (at 3 wt% photocatalyst loading content) under UV and visible light irradiations, respectively.

Photochemically Driven Polymeric Biocompatible and Antimicrobial Thiol-Acrylate Nanocomposite Suitable for Dental Restoration.

The development a photochemically driven polymeric composite for dental restorative materials to restore tooth cavities with antibacterial, biocompatibility, and outstanding mechanical properties is an urgent need for clinical application in stomatology. Herein, a series of polyurethane acrylate (PUA) prepolymers and antibacterial polyurethane acrylate quaternary ammonium salts (PUAQASs) were synthesized, and their mechanical and biological properties were explored. The unique secondary mercaptan with a long shelf life and low odor was used to reduce oxygen inhibition and increase cross-linking density; meanwhile, modified photocurable nano zirconia (nano ZrO2) enhances mechanical properties of the nanocomposites and possesses preeminent dispersion in the matrix. The results show that minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of PUAQASs are 200 and 800 μg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. The addition of secondary thiols significantly increases the photopolymerization rate and monomer conversion. The highest hardness and modulus reach 1.8 and 8.7 GPa compared to 1.8 and 8.3 GPa for commercial resin. The lap shear stress on the pig bone is 912 MPa, and that on commercial resin is 921 MPa. Most importantly, the photochemically driven polymeric composite has excellent biocompatibility and significantly better antimicrobial properties than commonly used commercial resins.

Acrylic Nanocomposites Modified by Biobased Itaconates: Mechanical Properties, Oil Resistance, and Heat Resistance

Acrylic Nanocomposites Modified by Biobased Itaconates: Mechanical Properties, Oil Resistance, and Heat Resistance

High-performance UV-curable epoxy acrylate nanocomposite coatings reinforced with aramid nanofibers

UV-curing epoxy acrylate (EA) nanocomposite films with different amounts of aramid nanofibers (ANFs) synthesized by a bottom-up method were prepared. The effects of the ANFs on the coating microstructures, curing kinetics, optical light transmittance, mechanical properties, and thermal stability were investigated. Although the ANFs strongly absorb UV light, ANF incorporation did not decrease the final CC bond conversion of the nanocomposites. The UV transmittance of the nanocomposite films decreased dramatically with increasing ANF content, but all films maintained a high visible transmittance. Relative to neat EA, the tensile strength of the 0.05 wt% ANF-reinforced nanocomposites increased by 36%, and the elongation at break of the 0.1 wt% ANF-reinforced nanocomposites increased by 194%. This was mainly attributed to the favorable ANF mechanical properties and their strong interactions (hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking) with EA. This work demonstrates that a small amount of ANFs can enhance the UV-shielding and mechanical properties of UV-curable EA coatings without affecting the transparency or final conversion.

Calcium hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as a reinforcement filler in dental resin nanocomposite

The current study focuses on the fabrication of calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) (HA) in a nanorange having whiskers- and cubic-shaped uniform particle morphology. The synthesized HA particles hold a promising feature as reinforcement fillers in dental acrylic resin composite. They increase the efficacy of reinforcement by length and aspect ratio, uniformity, and monodispersity. Therefore, the acrylic resin was reinforced with the as-synthesized monodispersed HA filler particles (0.2–1 Wt%). The presence of filler particles in the composite had a noticeable effect on the tribological and mechanical properties of the dental material. The morphological effect of HA particles on these properties was also investigated, revealing that cubic-shaped particles showed better results than whiskers. The as-fabricated composite (0.4 Wt%) of the cubic-shaped filler particles showed maximum hardness and improved antiwear/antifriction properties. Particle loading played its part in determining the optimum condition, whereas particle size also influenced the reinforcement efficiency. The current study revealed that particle morphology, particle size, uniformity, etc., of HA fillers, greatly influenced the tribological and mechanical properties of the acrylic resin-based nanocomposite. Improvement in the tribological properties of HA particle-reinforced acrylic resin composites (HA–acrylic resin) followed the trend as AR < CmC < WC < CC.

Graphene oxide/epoxy acrylate nanocomposite production via SLA and importance of graphene oxide surface modification for mechanical properties

PurposeTraditional nanocomposite production methods such as in situ polymerization, melt blending and solvent technique, have some deficits. Some of these are non-homogeneous particle distribution, setup difficulties, time-consuming and costly. On the other hand, three-dimensional printing technology is a quite popular method. Especially, Stereolithography (SLA) printing offers some benefits such as fast printing, easy setup and smooth surface specialties. Furthermore, surface modification of Graphene Oxide (GO) and its effects on polymer nanocomposites are quite important. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of surface modification of GO nanoparticles on the mechanical properties and morphology of epoxy acrylate (BisGMA/1,6 hexane diol diacrylate) matrix nanocomposites.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, Ultraviolet (UV) curable end groups of synthesized resin were linked to functional groups of graphene oxide, which are synthesized by the Tour method, which is a kind of modified Hummer method. In addition, synthesized GO nanoparticle’s surfaces were modified by 3-(methacryloyloxy) propyl trimethoxysilane. Significant weight percentages of GO were added into the epoxy acrylate resin. Different Wt.% of modified graphene oxide/acrylate resins was used to print test specimens with SLA type three-dimensional printer.FindingsSurface modification has a significant effect on tensile strength for graphene oxide nanoparticles contained composites. In addition, a specific trend was not observed for tensile test results of non-modified graphene oxide. The tendency of impact and hardness test finding were similar for both surfaces modified and non-modified nanoparticles. Finally, the distribution of particles was homogeneous.Originality/valueThis paper is unique because of the inclusion of both surface modifications of graphene oxide nanoparticles and SLA production of nanocomposites with its own production of three-dimensional printer and photocurable polymer resin.

Investigation on mechanical and conductive properties of polypyrrole/UV cured acrylate nanocomposite coatings

Conductive polypyrrole/UV cured acrylate nanocomposite coatings were prepared via a facile approach called simultaneous photopolymerization. In our previous study, the mechanisms of the polymerizations of pyrrole and acrylate in this process were discussed. In the current work, the mechanical and conductive properties were investigated by correlating them with the structural and compositional changes observed in the coating systems. Various percentages of pyrrole and acrylate monomers along with their corresponding UV activators, AgNO3 and DAROCUR 1173 respectively, were used to prepare the polypyrrole/UV cured acrylate composite coatings. The percentage of the mixture of pyrrole and AgNO3 in the formulation varied from 25 % to 60 %. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated that the deposition of polypyrrole/Ag composite particles occur closer to the substrate. Based on the conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) results, all the coatings in this study exhibited higher current densities on the bottom side of the coatings and the only coatings prepared with the formulations containing 45 % or higher of pyrrole and AgNO3 mixture exhibited conductivity on top side of the coatings. From the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results, it can be inferred that the increase in percentage of polypyrrole/Ag in the coating results in changes in the chemical structure of the UV cured acrylate binder. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)results suggested that the incorporation of polypyrrole/Ag composite during the photopolymerization process leads to plasticization of polymer network causing an increase in dissipative-like behavior in the coatings.

Development of highly transparent UV‐curable nylon 6 nanofiber‐reinforced polyurethane acrylate nanocomposite coatings for pre‐coated metals

AbstractThe aim of this study is the development of the UV‐curable polyurethane acrylate‐based transparent nanocomposite by using electrospun nylon 6 nanofibers as reinforcement. To accomplish the perfect embedment of nylon 6 nanofibers, over‐coating is the leading advantage on account of the ultrafast wetting and chemical interaction with the UV‐curable PUA matrix system. The remarkable properties of nylon 6 nanofibers offer the use of a very tiny amount of nanofibers as reinforcement in developing nanocomposites, which allowed a significant improvement of the mechanical properties. We developed optically transparent and flexible nanocomposite films and coatings based on casting, electrospinning, and UV‐curing. The reinforcement of nanofibers in the nanocomposites maintains 89%–93% optical transmittance in the visible light range with remarkable enhancement of the tensile strength by 85% for 240 min nanofiber deposition in nanocomposite films. The annexed results generated much consideration and proved that the embedment of nylon 6 nanofibers leads to a wide range of applications for pre‐coated metals. The morphologies of the nanofibers and properties of the thin film composites were also investigated. The potential utilization of nanofibers as a reinforcement and the fabrication of a nanocomposite along with its characterization comparably to the UV‐cured polyurethane acrylate film are also discussed.

Preparation and Mechanical, Thermal and Oil-resistance Properties of Acrylic Rubber Nanocomposites Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals

Acrylic rubber (ACM) nanocomposites reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were prepared and the properties were characterized. CNCs were produced by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose powder and used without further chemical modification of the surfaces. The CNCs were already aggregated in aqueous suspension. However, their aggregated sizes and uniform distribution in the ACM did not change with increase in the concentration of CNC. This result suggested good compatibility of the CNC with ACM. Fourier-transform infrared/attenuated total reflection spectroscopy revealed that the good compatibility could be attributed to attractive interactions between CNC and ACM. The good compatibility led to an increase in breaking stress of the ACM/CNC nanocomposites, up to about 10 MPa at a high concentration of 24 phr of CNC. Thermal decomposition of the nanocomposites occurred due to first the CNC followed by the ACM. More weight residues of the nanocomposites were found above 400 °C with increase in the concentration of CNC. The char produced by the decomposition of CNC is suggested the act as a flame retardant for ACM. In addition, the swelling ratio of the ACM/CNC nanocomposites against hydrophobic solvents decreased with increase in the concentration of CNC. The hydrophilic properties of the unmodified CNC from the surface hydroxyl groups increased the oil-resistant properties of the ACM.

Improving the Efficiency of a Polymer Nanocomposite for Formation of Photon Structures by Means of Optical Recording

We present the results of investigation of conditions leading to optimization of an optical recording medium based on photosensitive urethane–acrylate nanocomposites containing silicone oxide nanoparticles that is used for efficient recording of Bragg gratings by means of multiple-beam interference. It is demonstrated that the choice of most efficient monomers and their concentration in the nanocomposite depending on their structure and the rate of polymerization, followed by finding optimal intensity of recording radiation for given composition, allows regulating the conditions for component diffusion thereby optimizing their redistribution in the recording medium and formation of regions with different values of refractive index. The results of the study can be used for creation of complex 2D and 3D photonic structures based on purposeful modification of light-sensitive polymer nanocomposites exhibiting various properties (luminescent, nonlinear-optical, etc.)

Polyketone nanofiber: an effective reinforcement for the development of novel UV‐curable, highly transparent and flexible polyurethane nanocomposite films

AbstractThis study deals with the fabrication of a novel polyketone nanofiber‐reinforced UV‐curable polyurethane acrylate nanocomposite. An aliphatic polyketone nanofibrous mat was proficiently prepared by electrospinning using a solvent mixture of methylene chloride and trifluoroacetic acid. The outstanding characteristics of polymer nanofibers including a small pore size, a high aspect ratio and molecular orientation and an excellent mechanical performance offer the use of nanofibers as reinforcement in making nanocomposites. We fabricated a novel highly transparent and flexible nanocomposite film based on casting, electrospinning and UV‐curing processes. This method allowed significant enhancement of the mechanical properties using a very small amount (approximately 3.5 gsm) of polyketone nanofiber. The yield strength and Young's modulus of the nanocomposite were improved by up to 61% and 60%, respectively, compared to a UV‐cured polyurethane acrylate film. The reinforcing effect of nanofibers was accomplished without sacrificing the transparency and flexibility of polyurethane acrylate. The morphologies of the nanofibers and fiber–resin interface as well as the characteristics of the nanocomposite films were also studied. The effective use of nanofibers as a reinforcement and the preparation of a nanocomposite along with its characterization in comparison to a UV‐cured polyurethane acrylate film are also discussed. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

The Role of POSS Functionality on Induced Deviation of Nano and Micromechanical Properties of UV Curable Urethane Acrylate Nanocomposite Coatings

The inorganic-organic hybrid coatings based on UV curable urethane acrylate contained two types of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) were prepared. The hydroxyl functionalized POSS nanoparticles, pristine POSS, and the one modified by acrylic acid utilized to study the effect of nanoparticle content and its functionality on ultimate mechanical properties of the hybrid coatings. The nanomechanical properties and scratch resistance of nanocomposite coatings were evaluated with nanoindentation and nanoscratch techniques, respectively. Consequently, the results compared with previously obtained DMTA data. The results revealed that by embedding acrylic acid modified POSS, the surface hardness and elastic modulus improved. Further increasing acrylic acid modified POSS content to 5%, the surface elastic modulus and hardness improved to 37% and 35%, respectively, relative to neat coating and also the enhanced scratch resistance was observed. Furthermore, the discrepancy between the surface elastic modulus and bulk elastic modulus was rationalized and the contributed parameters that led to this deviation such as pile-up area, holding time and hydrostatic stress was investigated. The results showed that apart from the inefficiency of Oliver and Pharr method to precisely evaluate the nanomechanical properties of hybrid coatings, the targeted placement of POSS nanoparticle is responsible for this disparity between surface mechanical properties and its bulk values.

Production of graphene and carbon nanotubes using low cost carbon-based raw materials and their utilization in the production of polycarbonate/ethylene methyl acrylate -based nanocomposites

In the earlier studies carbon nanomaterials were synthesized by using cheaper raw materials such as coal, super cleancoal, plastics etc. by the authors research group. Presently, carbon nanomaterials such as graphene and carbon nanotubeshave been prepared from cheap carbon-based materials such as dry ice and Pongamia oil. The graphene and carbonnanotubes were also synthesized by catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (dry ice) in the presence of magnesium metalflame and from pongamia oil using chemical vapour deposition setup respectively. The multiwalled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs) were synthesized. The synthesized graphene and MWCNTs were characterized by different characterizationtechniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy. Thus, synthesized graphene andMWCNTs have been used as conductive filler in polycarbonate/ethylene methyl acrylate nanocomposites. Differentproperties i.e. electrical conductivity and electromagnetic inference shielding properties of these nanocomposites have beenstudied. This study opens new avenues for the fabrication of novel lightweight materials that may be used in communicationsystems or for other applications such as in the fuel cells, solar cells, supercapacitors, Lithium ion batteries. Several cheaperraw materials have been suggested for the production of CNTs, graphene, carbon nanoparticles, quantum dots etc.

Hybrid acrylic nanocomposites with excellent transparency and hardness/toughness balance

The composite nanofibers were used as reinforcement in acrylic polymer for the overall enhancement of thermo-mechanical properties, adhesion between fibers and matrix, and fracture toughness of the final nanocomposite since acrylic materials lack of this feature. So, a good balance between hardness/toughness and transparency is obtained with the addition of poly (vinyl butyral) (PVB) and titania (TiO2) nanofibers simultaneously and controlling their contents. Specifically, when compared to that of pure acrylic polymer, the fracture toughness of the PMMA nanocomposite apparently increased 55 % with the addition of 3 wt.% titania nanoparticles, while the produced nanocomposite maintained high transmittance above 75–80% in the visible domain. The transmission spectrum modelling of the reinforced fiber materials and hybrid acrylic composites using Mie scattering theory for different particle sizes and particle content is presented. The calculated transmission coefficients versus wavelength are compared with the experimental ones.

A novel SiO2–GO/acrylic resin nanocomposite: fabrication, characterization and properties

The nanohybrids of silicon dioxide–graphene oxide (SiO2–GO) were prepared by surface modification of graphene oxide (GO) by the hydrolysis of the tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and then the SiO2–GO was added into acrylic resin as reinforcement to prepare acrylic nanocomposites. The structure of SiO2–GO was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, Raman and the morphology and dispersion study of SiO2–GO were observed by SEM and TEM. The results showed that the SiO2–GO was dispersed well in the acrylic resin matrix. Furthermore, the corresponding thermal, mechanical, and chemical resistance properties of the SiO2–GO/acrylic resin nanocomposites with mass ratios of SiO2–GO to acrylic resin (0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, and 0.12 wt%) were studied and compared with those of pure acrylic resin and the GO/acrylic resin nanocomposites with the same mass ratios of GO to acrylic resin. The results revealed that the loading of SiO2–GO effectively enhanced various properties of acrylic resin, which provides a new method for preparation of graphene nanocomposites.

Electrochemically Exfoliated Functionalized Black Phosphorene and Its Polyurethane Acrylate Nanocomposites: Synthesis and Applications.

Owing to its mechanical performance, thermal stability, and size effects, single or few-layer black phosphorus (BP) has the potential to prepare the polymer nanocomposites as a candidate of nanoadditives, similar to graphene. The step to realize the scalable exfoliation of single or few-layer BP nanosheets is crucial to BP applications. Herein, we utilized a facile, green, and scalable electrochemical strategy for generating cobaltous phytate-functionalized BP nanosheets (BP-EC-Exf) wherein the BP crystal served as the cathode and phytic acid served as a modifier and an electrolyte simultaneously. Moreover, high-performance polyurethane acrylate/BP-EC-Exf (PUA/BP-EC) nanocomposites are easily prepared by a convenient UV-curable strategy for the first time. Significantly, the conclusion of introducing BP-EC-Exf into the PUA matrix resulted in enhancement in mechanical properties of PUA in terms of the tensile strength (increased by 59.8%) and tensile fracture strain (increased by 88.1%), in the distinct improvement in flame retardancy of PUA in terms of the decreased peak heat release rate (reduced by 44.5%) and total heat release (decreased by 34.5%), and in lower intensities of pyrolysis products including toxic CO. Moreover, it was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra that the air stability of PUA/BP-EC nanocomposites was maintained after exposure to environmental conditions for 4 months. The air-stable BP nanosheets, which were wrapped and embedded in the PUA matrix, can achieve the isolation and protection effect. This modified electrochemical method toward the simultaneous exfoliation and functionalization of BP nanosheets provides an efficient approach for fabricating BP-polymer-based nanocomposites.

Synergistic effect of graphene/multiwalled carbon nanotube hybrid fillers on mechanical, electrical and EMI shielding properties of polycarbonate/ethylene methyl acrylate nanocomposites

This paper describes the preparation of polycarbonate/ethylene methyl acrylate (95/5 w/w) nanocomposites using graphene: MWCNT hybrid filler in varying ratios (1:1, 1:3 and 3:1) by melt blending process. The effect of graphene/MWCNT hybrid filler on electrical, mechanical, thermal and electromagnetic interference shielding properties of nanocomposites was investigated. Morphology of these composites was characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Composites with 10 phr loading of hybrid filler (graphene: MWCNT ratio of 1:3) show the highest tensile strength and tensile modulus as compared to the composites based on graphene or MWCNT at the same loading. The maximum electrical conductivity (1.91 × 10−1 S/cm) was also achieved at a loading of 10 phr of hybrid filler (graphene: MWCNT in the ratio of 1:3), which is higher as compared to the composite prepared using either of the filler alone at the same loading. This significant enhancement in electrical conductivity is responsible to attain up to −34 dB EMI shielding effectiveness in frequency range of 8.2–12.4 GHz (X-band). An increase in mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and EMI shielding for composites having hybrid filler (graphene: MWCNT in ratio 1:3) shows the synergistic effects when such fillers are used in combination.

Effect of Plasma, Gamma and Chemically Surface Modified MWNTs on the Rheological and Electrical Properties of Ethylene Methyl Acrylate (EMA) Nanocomposites.

Surface modifications of the MWNTs have been carried out by treating the as received MWNTs with plasma (N2 and O2), piranha (H2SO4/H2O2) and γ-ray irradiation under well specified conditions. Surface modifications introduce polar functional groups onto MWNTs surfaces. A variety of characterization techniques including FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS were employed to characterize the functional group introduced onto MWNTs after the modification. A series of poly(ethylene-comethyl acrylate) (EMA) based nanocomposites containing modified MWNTs has been prepared. Mechanical, morphological, thermal, rheological and electrical properties of these nanocomposites have been investigated. Morphological analyses revealed that MWNTs are more uniformly dispersed in EMA especially for plasma modified MWNTs. Rheological and electrical properties of the nanocomposites are also studied. The nanocomposites register a slightly higher viscosity than that of neat EMA depending on the type of treatment. Storage modulus (in dynamic shear) increases especially at higher frequency levels due to increased polymer-filler interactions. The EMA/MWNT nanocomposites were tested to evaluate their electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness. The enhancements of mechanical properties along with the improvements in electrical and electromagnetic properties by the addition of modified MWNTs have been observed. The MWNTs treated by O2 plasma provides EMA nanocomposites with a higher conductivity than those produced by N2 plasma or by chemical oxidation or by γ-ray irradiation. Overall, the improvements of technical properties of the matrix have been found to be highest with the plasma modified MWNTs in comparison with other modified MWNTs.