Thermal Resistance Properties Research Articles

Role of chelating compounds towards thermal resistance property of industrial grade goethite

PurposeThe iron oxide-based goethite (FeOOH) is proven to be an alternative replacement for carcinogenic chrome-based pigments. Because of its low heat stability, it tends to lose water of hydration and turns red as temperature ascends beyond 240ºC. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to increase the heat stability temperature of industrial grade (IG) goethite pigment. For this, the IG goethite pigment was surface treated with sequestrant. The properties of untreated and treated IG goethite were compared.Design/methodology/approachThree different compounds (sodium hexametaphosphate, calcium disodium ethylene diamine tetra-acetate salt, sodium gluconate) were used into the IG goethite at different concentration level. The experiments were conducted by varying the temperature and exposure time of treated and untreated samples. The total colour difference value (DE) was compared for the treated and untreated samples.FindingsThe surface treatment of IG goethite showed significant enhancement in heat stability property. From X-ray diffraction results it was confirmed that with surface treatment, there was no phase change of IG goethite even at 300ºC. Fourier transform infrared analysis states that with surface treatment when there is gradual increase in temperature from 260ºC the % transmittance of the OH (hydroxyl) deformation region band is delayed due to sequestering effect. Also, based on the total colour DE, the colour tone of surface treated IG goethite was not perceptible by human eyes even at 280ºC.Research limitations/implicationsBy increasing the heat stability of IG goethite, it will have increased spectrum of end usage in the high temperature coating segment. Coil coating is one of the biggest potential markets for this pigment. The increased heat stability will provide manufacturers with the option of an economical and non-toxic pigment in coil coatings and also in other sectors such as plastics, powder coatings and high temperature coatings.Practical implicationsThe outcome of this study has been commercially implemented to produce heat stable goethite pigments in an industrial plant. The surface treated IG goethite pigments can be used in high-performance coil, powder and high temperature coatings.Originality/valueThe method for enhanced heat stability property of IG goethite by surface treatment with sequestrants is novel and could find numerous applications in high-performance coatings.

Multifunctional food supplements based on layered zinc hydroxide salts intercalated with vitamin anions and adsolubilized with vanillin.

A layered hydroxide salt (LHS) was used as an inorganic matrix to obtain multifunctional food compounds. The aim is to obtain higher thermal stability for vitamin anions and a slow release of aroma. Thus, vitamin B3 (nicotinate), vitamin B5 (phantothenate) and vitamin L (2-aminobenzoate) anions were intercalated by co-precipitation method. The results show an increase in thermal stability of intercalated vitamin anion since decomposition of pure vitamin B3 starts at 120°C and after intercalation, the HSL-B3 decomposition starts at 313°C. The intercalation products were than reacted with vanillin (3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde). A kinetic study showed that the release of vanillin from its nanohybrid was found to occur in a controlled manner, evidencing that the synthesized compounds can be used in formulations for the sustained release of aromas. Results showed that the intercalated anions and adsolubilized vanillin were not only less volatile since it causes the aroma to remain in the LHS for a longer period of time resulting in slow release but also have higher thermal stability when they are confined between layers. In summary, the multifunctional food supplements obtained seems to have nutraceutical, olfactory and better thermal resistance properties being suitable for potential applications in the food industry.

Machinability evaluation of coated carbide inserts in turning of super-duplex stainless steel

Super-duplex stainless steel (SDSS) is a class of materials that possess excellent mechanical properties with enhanced corrosion resistance. Given the presence of several alloying elements and the existence of a two-phase microstructure, it can be argued that it is one of the few materials that are difficult to machine. Therefore, the present study attempts to establish an improved understanding of the state-of-the-art development in insert coatings capable of providing excellent tribological and thermal resistance properties. In this work, monolayers of AlTiN and AlCrN are PVD coated on commercial carbide inserts so as to compare and contrast the performance of nitride coatings in the dry turning of SDSS. This study evaluates the machining performance in terms of tool wear, chip characteristics, tool life and surface finish. The coated surfaces were observed through optical microscope, profilometers, scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to evaluate the morphological changes. The results of the work indicate that machining with PVD-coated AlTiN insert showed longer tool life, better surface finish and smaller chip thickness when compared to AlCrN-coated and uncoated inserts at low to moderate cutting speeds. The dominant wear mechanism was found to be adhesion, where during turning long continuous chips were formed for uncoated inserts and small segmented chips were formed for coated inserts at different machining parameters. Contrarily, the study also purportedly explores the improved performance of AlCrN-coated inserts over AlTiN-coated inserts at high cutting speed.

Microwave-assisted phosphorylation of organosolv lignin: new bio-additives for improvement of epoxy resins performance

The search for bio-additives for enhancing the thermal and optical performance of epoxy resins has been increasing constantly. Lignin represents an interesting alternative for such purposes. Therefore, the aim of this work was promote the valorization of acetosolv coconut shell lignin (ACSL) and phosphorylated acetosolv coconut shell lignin (P-ACSL) as bio-additives in epoxy resins, evaluating their effects on the thermal and UV-blocking properties of the thermosetting materials. The phosphorylation of ACSL was carried out at 60 °C during 5, 10, and 20 min under microwave irradiation. ACSL and P-ACSL were characterized by TGA, DSC, GPC, and 1H and 31P NMR analyses. ACSL and P-ACSL were added to diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and isophoronediamine (IPDA) at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10 wt%, being cured at room temperature during 24 h. The neat and additivated epoxy resins were characterized by TGA, DSC, and UV-Vis analyses. It was observed a notorious enhancement of the thermal (≈ 9 °C for ACSL and P-ACSL) and thermo-oxidative (≈ 8.5 and 15 °C for ACSL and P-ACSL, respectively) stabilities of the thermosetting materials using both lignins, as well as for their glass transition temperatures (Tg), which presented a slight increase of 2.1 and 3.5 °C for ACSL and P-ACSL, respectively. Furthermore, ACSL and P-ACSL exhibited UV stabilizer properties through the complete absorption of UV light in the UV-A and UV-B regions. It can be concluded that P-ACSL could represent an alternative bio-additive that can be easily produced through a clean and fast methodology, capable of improving the thermal, optical, and chemical resistance properties of epoxy resins.

Effect of laser-discrete-quenching on bonding properties of electroplated grinding wheel with AISI 1045 steel substrate and nickel bond

To improve the bonding strength between the nickel bond and the hub of the electroplated diamond grinding wheel, a hybrid technique was proposed to combine laser pre-quenching steel substrate and post-electroplating nickel. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed technique, AISI 1045 substrate was nickel-coated. The bonding properties between the electroplated nickel coating and substrate with or without laser-discrete-quenching were discussed comparatively by scratch, indentation, and thermal shock tests. The results show that the pre-quenching treatment leads to phase transformation of AISI 1045 microstructure from the mixed pearlite and ferrite phases into the martensitic phase. Since the martensitic phase is characterized as a high corrosion resistance, the interface of substrate/coating is smooth and flat in the pre-quenched zone, and the coating is bonded well with the steel substrate. In contrast to the steel substrate without pre-quenching treatment, the proposed technique significantly enhanced the bonding strengths of the electroplated nickel-coating. On one hand, the average hardness of electroplated nickel-coating on the laser pre-quenched zone is increased by 18.7%, and the scratch depth with the same load become narrower and shallower. On the other hand, the coefficient of friction (CoF) and the vibration amplitude are reduced, and the coating is bonded effectively with the substrate to inhibit the crack initialization at the interface. This prevents effectively the coating from peeling off and improves significantly the thermal shock resistance property.

Experimental assessment of the thermal and mechanical performance of insulated concrete blocks

The performance of insulated concrete blocks, with different industrial waste materials, was assessed for improved thermal resistance and mechanical properties. The optimal dosage of polystyrene bead (EPS), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), vermiculite (VL) and volcanic scoria (VS) was initially determined to produce concrete blocks with low thermal conductivity and acceptable compressive strength using low cement content to reduce both the CO2 emission and the cost. Thermal conductivity, compressive strength, density, absorption, cost analysis, and CO2 emission were used to assess the efficiency. The results proved that the thermal conductivity of VS, EPS, LDPE and VL blocks were reduced by about 26.1, 19.4, 17.0 and 16.7%, as compared to that of the normal block. However, the results showed that the reduction in compressive strength was 51, 47, 39, and 37% for VS, VL, LDPE, and EPS blocks, as compared to that of the control block. Further, the vermiculite block exhibited the highest water absorption of all blocks by up to about 14%. Moreover, the results of cost analysis proved that the EPS and VS are the cheapest insulated blocks, as compared to other insulated blocks. Besides, the results support the recommendation to use VS-insulated block because of its lowest thermal conductivity and it satisfied the requirements of compressive strength as non-load bearing walls. It is found that the best wall (VS) can improve the thermal resistance by about 279% when compared to the conventional concrete blocks. This improvement could reduce the cost of energy consumption from 349.3 to 99.4 $/m2 (about 3.5 times of reduction) based on net present value (NPV) over 50 years. The VS-wall could minimize the CO2 by about 3.71 times over the conventional concrete block and about 1.35 times over the control wall. This work has achieved the following dual benefits: conversion of waste polymers into useful materials to produce cheap and sustainable constructional material as well as saving the energy and thus the environment.

Potential of polylactide based nanocomposites-nanopolysaccharide filler for reinforcement purpose: a comprehensive review

Polylactide (PLA) is considered as an environmentally friendly substitute of various petroleum-based polymers on account of its renewability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and excellent thermo-mechanical properties. Despite having numerous advantages of PLA, PLA application has not been commercialized yet due to certain limitations such as low thermal resistance, barrier and electrical properties. Therefore, to minimize the drawbacks of PLA and optimize the conditions for commercial implementation, the necessity of highly crystalline nanofiller addition has been opted in this review. The primary goal of this study is to elaborate the importance of highly crystalline nanofillers integration with PLA for enhancement of the properties as well as diversifying the applications of nanocomposites. Hence, this review outlined an overview of preparation of PLA based nanocomposites reinforced with nanopolysaccharides as fillers. Besides, four types of nano-polysaccharides fillers: cellulose nanocrystals, starch nanocrystals, chitin nanocrystals and chitosan nanocrystals have been emphasized in this study. Along with that, the effect of filler loading, type of modification, and nano-composite preparing methods, PLA matrix have been demonstrated comprehensively. In addition, different properties of nanocomposites namely thermal, morphological, mechanical, structural, and barrier properties are delineated in detail.

Thermal shock resistance properties of refractory castables bonded with a CaO-free binder

The potential of hydratable magnesium carboxylate compounds (HMC) combined with MgO powder as a binder of castables was evaluated. The green mechanical and thermal shock resistance properties of HMC-bonded castables (HMCC) and calcium aluminate cement-bonded castables (CACC) were compared. The green mechanical strength of the HMCC reached the mechanical strength of the CACC. The residual strength ratio of the HMCC is higher than that of the CACC and increases first and then decreases with the MgO/HMC ratio. The residual strength ratio's highest value is 56.8% (MgO/HMC ratio is 2/3), which is 1.8 times that of CACC. Interestingly, the microcracks in the HMCC after thermal shock are radial, while those in CACC are linear. The micromechanical testing on the matrix of castables after thermal shock showed that the ratio of the energy for crack initiation to the work of fracture of the HMCC is lower than that of the CACC, but its fracture toughness is higher than that of the CACC, indicating that the microcracks in the HMCC initiate easily but propagate hardly.

Extremely high Bs (Fe1-xCox)86Ni1B13 amorphous soft magnetic alloys with good bending ductility

The effects of Co content on the thermal stability, soft-magnetic properties, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of (Fe1-xCox)86Ni1B13 (x = 0–0.25) amorphous alloys were systematically investigated. Adequate Co addition can significantly increase saturation magnetic flux density (Bs). Extremely high Bs of 1.78–1.92 T was obtained when Co content was added in the range of x = 0.05–0.25. Besides, the Curie temperature (Tc) increases markedly with the introduction of Co, exhibiting the high thermal stability of soft magnetic properties. Compared with x = 0 (Co-free) alloys, the Tc of x = 0.1 (0.1Co) alloy increases more than 100 K, far exceeding the first crystallization temperature. There is also an obvious increase in temperature intervals between the two exothermic peaks of crystallization with Co content, implying high thermal stability of the Co-containing alloys. In addition, the corrosion resistance of 0.1Co alloy was also improved compared with the Co-free alloy. Among the (Fe1-xCox)86Ni1B13 amorphous alloys, the one with 0.1Co simultaneously exhibits high Bs of 1.87 T and low Hc of 10 A/m, as well as good bending ductility at annealed state. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of the good ductility of the 0.1Co alloy annealed under the optimal condition was also discussed from the perspective of atom bonding nature. The combination of extremely high Bs and low Hc in conjunction with good manufacturability makes the (Fe0.9Co0.1)86Ni1B13 alloys promising soft-magnetic materials for potential applications.

Preparation of nickel-foam-supported Pd/NiO monolithic catalyst and construction of novel electric heating reactor for catalytic combustion of VOCs

Metal-based monolithic catalysts have excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, impact resistance, ductility, and mechanical properties. Thus, they have a broader application prospect than ceramic-based monolithic catalysts. In this work, high-dispersion Pd nanoparticle dispersion liquid was synthesized by using the solvothermal method. Moreover, nickel-foam-supported Pd/NiO (Pd/NiO/Ni foam) monolithic catalyst with good catalytic combustion performance was prepared successfully by simply spraying the dispersion liquid on the surface of Ni foam, which was oxidized at high temperature to grow NiO film. A novel electric heating catalytic combustion reactor with fast response and safety was constructed by nesting Pd/NiO/Ni foam with an insulated heating rod. Notably, even at the high space velocity of 50,000 h−1, the constructed reactor can completely degrade 2500 ppm of toluene at 230 ℃ and exhibits good catalytic activity for hydrocarbons and oxygen-containing and heteroatom-containing organic compounds.

Characterization and efficacy of a composite coating containing chitosan and lemongrass essential oil on postharvest quality of guava

This study characterized chemical and physical properties of chitosan (Chi) coatings with or without Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf. (CCEO) essential oil (0.6 μL/mL). The effects of Chi-CCEO coating on postharvest quality of guava during storage (15 days, 12 ± 1 °C) were assessed. CCEO improved thermal resistance and surface properties of Chi-coating. Chi-CCEO coating had low water solubility and aw, high thermal resistance, smooth and low-roughness surface. Chi-CCEO coating delayed weight and firmness losses, changes in soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, color and phenolics in guava during storage. Chi-CCEO coating decreased polyphenol-oxidase and pectin-methylesterase activity, while increased peroxidase activity after 5 days. Coated guava had lower fructose content and higher citric and succinic acid content than uncoated guava after 10 days. Coated guava had higher scores for texture, color and overall impression but lower scores for odor. Chi-CCEO coating were effective to maintain guava postharvest quality during a 10 day-cold storage. Industrial relevanceThe addition of CCEO in an active concentration to inhibit fungal spoilage in guavas into Chi-coating positively affected its physico-chemical properties, resulting in a flat, smooth and low roughness composite coating. Chi-CCEO coating delayed undesirable postharvest changes caused by physiological processes in guava, maintaining the fruit quality during cold storage. Chi-CCEO coating should be a feasible technology for guava preservation and decrease synthetic fungicide use in this fruit.

Microstructure and properties of MgO–C refractory with different carbon contents

Magnesia-carbon (MgO–C) refractory is considered as the most crucial lining material in steelmaking furnaces. To provide reference for producing high performance MgO–C refractory containing different carbon contents, the microstructure, mechanical strength, thermal shock resistance and thermal properties of this material with 1–18 wt% flake graphite were studied systematically in this work. The results showed that carbon content had small effect on microstructural evolution of MgO–C refractory after high temperature treatment, mainly MgAl2O4 particles, Al4C3 whiskers and plate-/whisker-shaped AlN formed in the matrix of all specimens. As carbon content added increased gradually, fracture strength of specimens exhibited a reduced tendency whereas the corresponding fracture displacements became higher and higher owing mainly to good sliding ability of flake graphite. Furthermore, the increase in carbon content reduced thermal expansion rate of specimens and correspondingly increased thermal conductivity, consequently contributing to enhanced resistance to thermal shock of MgO–C refractory.

Sequential estimation of borehole resistance and ground thermal properties through thermal response test

Borehole thermal resistance and ground thermal properties (thermal conductivity and heat capacity) are the key parameters to implement the ground source heat pump (GSHP), usually obtained by thermal response test. In this study, a novel sequential parameters estimation method for the above three parameters is proposed, and the sensitivity analysis by using a special correlation method is performed to decide the best estimation sequences. At first, the Spearman partial rank correlation coefficient was used to represent the correlation between the estimated thermal properties and fluid temperature for the line source model (ILS), then the estimation sequence for the three parameters could be determined by the correlation results. Lastly, with the estimation step, Monte Carlo method was adopted to determine the parameters replacing conventional iterative algorithms. In addition, the effect of value bounds and initial inputs as well as random samples was investigated. The results showed that compared to the other estimation steps, the estimation sequence following borehole resistance firstly, then thermal conductivity, heat capacity lastly could get the best precision with 4.5%, 0.4%, 1% respectively. Specially, the estimation precision for ground heat capacity could be promoted by the sequential estimation. Also, the effect of value bounds on estimation precision was nearly eliminated by the proposed method.

Fly ash geopolymer mortar: Impact of the substitution of river sand by copper slag as a fine aggregate on its thermal resistance properties

Geopolymer materials are increasingly finding application in various settings because of their excellent mechanical properties and their ability to reduce the level of CO2 emission in the atmosphere, thus contributing to a sustainable environment. Mortars containing an alkali-activated fly ash binder in which river sand is used as an aggregate are found to display poor adhesive strength and incompatibility at elevated temperatures, necessitating researchers to look for alternate aggregates to be used in geopolymer mortars. In this study, we have substituted copper slag as an aggregate [C] in place of river sand [R] in a fly ash geopolymer mortar and investigated its effect on the thermal resistance of the mortar. We report the results of our investigations in this paper. Our experimental results show that the mortar using copper slag as an aggregate (C-type mortar) exhibited good thermal stability in the temperature range of 200–1000 °C without any spalling. Thermal strain was low, and the mortar was found to have a thermal expansion of just 0.002% and a thermal conductivity value of 0.6 W/m K at 1000 °C. Further, the C-type mortar exhibited a compressive strength of 33 MPa on exposure to 1000 °C and negligible mass loss even after several thermal cycles, facilitating the recycling of industrial waste such as copper slag in thermal applications. In contrast, mortars using river sand as an aggregate (R-type mortars) exhibited a higher mass loss on thermal treatment. Thermal-induced changes were studied using field emission scanning electron spectroscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The network rich in silicon atoms in the crystalline phase was found to contain aluminium as nepheline along with an amorphous geopolymeric gel in the heated samples. There were no differences in the binding energy of Si, Al, O and Na atoms of heated and unheated samples, which confirmed the retention of the desired geopolymeric microstructural network even at elevated temperatures.

Functionally tuned nanolayered graphene as reinforcement of polyethylene nanocomposites for lightweight transportation industry

System integration and multifunctionality requirements of high-performance materials in the transportation sector are pushing manufacturers to search for advanced functional polymers that are easy to recycle, cost-effective and not energy intensive. This study reports, for the first time, an advanced and lightweight functional nanocomposite material with higher thermal deformation resistance and thermo-mechanical properties than those of conventional polyolefins used in the aforesaid sector. This unique material consists of a biphasic polyolefin system, with Polyethylene (PE) being the macro phase and Polypropylene (PP) being the micro phase, and a novel surface-active nanostructured functional graphene, which thermodynamically co-locate itself at the interface of the PE/PP binary system, thanks to our proposed strategic mixing mechanism. It is proven that the targeted interfacial localization of the novel functional nanolayered graphene promoted a nucleation-controlled PE crystallization, as demonstrated by optical microscopy and studies on macro phase non-isothermal crystallization kinetics. This justifies the remarkable enhancement of nanocomposite’s thermo-mechanical properties, leading to the potential use of this new functional material as a lightweight thermoplastic olefinic nanocomposite in the above-mentioned industrial sector. Lastly, the outcome of this study opens new avenues in the applications of advanced, lightweight, and functional polyolefin-based materials for diverse applications, increasing the environmental footprint.

A Novel Ceramic Backing Strip from Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer with Gas Flow Holes for Welding Application

This research is firstly presented the thermal resistance of a ceramic backing made from metakaolin-based geopolymer for stainless steel welding. The general problems such as lack of fusion, hydrogen inclusion, porosity and corrosions of stainless steel welded specimens were found because, largely, stainless steel presents an affinity to gases as oxidation. Therefore, during welding, if these gases do not escape from the weld pool before solidification of weld metal, it results in porosities or hydrogen inclusions. In this case, it can be solved by properly using inert gas backing. The welder usually uses the steel backing plate with a gas release hole to support weld root and gas transmission for completed weld penetration and superior weld quality. Since the geopolymer shows a good property of thermal resistance, researchers are interested in using the ceramic backing made from geopolymer instead of the commercial ceramic backing. The ceramic backings from the geopolymer were designed merely in 3 types as follows: Narrow curved groove without gas release hole, narrow curved groove with gas release holes and wide curved groove with gas release holes. Consequently, two pieces of stainless steel were welded by gas tungsten arc welding and then the weld quality such as defects, porosity and root penetration of welded specimens was inspected. Moreover, the surface failure of ceramic backing after the welding process was also considered. The results revealed that ceramic backing from a geopolymer with wide curved groove and gas release holes gave completed penetration at the root when inspecting with non-destructive testing such as visual test, penetration test, and radiography test. It was concluded that the geopolymer could be used as ceramic backing in stainless steel welding by gas tungsten arc welding. Moreover, it could be used as backing for aluminum and steel welding as well.

Coloration of aramid fabric via in-situ biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial effect

This work has found innovative multicolored and antibacterial effects on aramid fabrics through an in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) without using any toxic reagents. Chitosan was only used as a renewable reducing and stabilizing agent. As-synthesized products were studied in terms of surface plasmon resonance (SPR), morphology, elemental mapping, metal composition, as well as the chemical interaction between compositing constituents. Results revealed that the particles are mostly in spherical shapes, uniformly dispersed and tightly attached to the aramid surface by molecular force or double network developed by chitosan. The treated fabrics also revealed improved thermal resistivity and sustainable color properties in terms of color uniformity, strength (K/S), and fastness ratings. They also have demonstrated excellent antibacterial action with more than 99% bacterial reduction efficiency against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) even after 10 washing cycles. Overall, this technique of aramid treatment could be a benchmark for sustainable multicolored and durable antibacterial performances in a more sustainable way.

Enhanced tribological properties of bismaleimides with a novel hybrid silicon dioxide containing amino groups

To improve the tribological properties of bismaleimide (BMI) resin, silicon dioxide nanoparticles with imino and terminal functional amino groups were prepared through a sol–gel process to form a novel SiO2-NH2 hybrid. The as-prepared hybrid was then applied as a modifying agent for the BMI matrix to obtain SiO2-NH2/BMI composites. Compared to those of pure BMI resin, the volume wear rate and friction coefficient of the SiO2-NH2/BMI composites decreased significantly, while the wear mechanism changed from fatigue (BMI) to adhesive (SiO2-NH2/BMI) wear. This improvement in the tribological properties of the SiO2-NH2/BMI composites was attributed to the appropriate SiO2-NH2 added content, which endowed the BMI with excellent mechanical and thermal-resistant properties. Thus, the SiO2-NH2/BMI composites could resist the external load and excessive heat during the friction process.

Biocomposites based on plasticized starch: thermal, mechanical and morphological characterization

In this research, a composite material based on thermoplastic starch (TPS) obtained from pich seeds (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) filled with solid particles of their own shell (PP) was elaborated and fully characterized by different techniques such as DSC, TGA, FTIR, tensile test and SEM. All composites showed good dispersion of the shell particles within the matrix. Particles size and concentration effect over the mechanical, morphologic and thermic properties were studied. Calorimetric characterization by DSC exhibited an increment in ΔHf as PP concentration was increased, while TGA analysis shown thermal events associated to decomposition of hemicellulose followed by cellulose and finally lignin components. Pich TPS/PP composite material FTIR spectrum clearly displayed absorption bands corresponding to amylose and amylopectin, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin organic groups. SEM analysis identified average diameters in shell particles (PP) around 1180 μm, 600 μm and 425 μm. Higher mechanical properties corresponding to maximum stress (σmax) and elastic modulus (E) were obtained for composites manufactured with particle size of 600 µm and 5% concentration. These results are consistent with the static mechanical behaviour, which vary according to the filler content. It is shown that the addition of PP fillers improves the thermal resistance and mechanical properties of these biocomposites.

Charaterization and Preparation of PA6/EPDM-g-MAH/OMMT Polymer Alloys Nanocomposites

The Polyamide 6 (PA6)/ maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM-g-MAH)/organic montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites were successfully prepared by melt extrusion method at different contents of OMMT fillers. The content of OMMT were studied to discuss the mechanical properties, thermal resistance properties and melt-crystal behavior of the nanocomposites. The results were summarized as follows: The PA6/EPDM-g-MAH/OMMT nanocomposites were prepared using melt extrusion method. The influence of the OMMT filler contents on the properties of PA6/EPDM-g-MAH/OMMT nanocomposites were studied. The mechanical properties and thermal resistance properties were improved with the addition of OMMT. The results showed that when the content of OMMT was 3.5wt%, comparing to the pure PA6, the bending strength was improved 31.7%, the notch impact strength was improved by 40.5%, and the heat deflection temperature was improved by 31.1°C. This kind of nanocomposites had good application prospects.