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Mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant performance of polyamide 11–halloysite nanotube nanocomposites

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Abstract

This study focused on the influence of different filler loadings on the elongation at break and flammability properties of the PA11/FR/HNTs nanocomposites. Polyamide 11 (PA11)/flame-retardant (FR) additives/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) nanocomposites were melt compounded via twin-screw extrusion for all the compositions. Three FR additive loadings (15, 20, and 25 wt%) and three HNTs loadings (2.5, 5, and 10 wt%) were selected. The formula with 25 % FR and 2.5 % HNT had the lowest additives content and the highest elongation at break of 10.22 % among all UL-94 V-0 rated formulas. A homogeneous dispersion of HNTs in PA11 matrix was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimeter measurements indicated that HNTs behaved as nucleating agents by accelerating the rate of crystallization, thus increasing crystallization temperature. The young’s modulus of the PA11 nanocomposites was enhanced with the addition of HNTs. Micro-scale combustion calorimeter results demonstrated that the addition of HNTs also decreased the peak heat release rate of the nanocomposites. These results indicate the effectiveness of HNTs on the mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant performance of PA11/FR/HNTs nanocomposites.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank KAI, LLC for sponsoring this project; and Dr. G. Wissler of 21st Century Polymers Inc. for preparing the formulations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Texas Materials Institute Materials Science and Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Ayou Hao, Hao Wu & Joseph H. Koo

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Iris Wong, Brian Lisco, Brian Ong, Alyssa Sallean, Steven Butler & Joseph H. Koo

  3. KAI, LLC, Austin, TX, 78739, USA

    Michelle Londa & Joseph H. Koo

Authors
  1. Ayou Hao
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  2. Iris Wong
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  3. Hao Wu
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  4. Brian Lisco
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  5. Brian Ong
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  6. Alyssa Sallean
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  8. Michelle Londa
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  9. Joseph H. Koo
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Correspondence to Joseph H. Koo.

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Hao, A., Wong, I., Wu, H. et al. Mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant performance of polyamide 11–halloysite nanotube nanocomposites. J Mater Sci 50, 157–167 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8575-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8575-7

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