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Structure and properties of polypropylene-nanoclay composites

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Abstract

The structure, morphology and mechanical properties of polypropylene-nanoclay composites containing 1 to15 wt.% nanoclay was investigated. Combination of wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to determine nanocomposite morphology. Mixture of intercalated and exfoliated morphology was observed for all the samples. Samples with 1 to 5 wt.% clay showed shear induced orientation of clay platelets in the surface region of the molded bars. Glass transition temperature slightly decreased due to the plasticizing effect of additives. At higher weight percentage reinforcement (10–15 wt.%), up to 67 % improvement in tensile modulus is observed. Breaking energy was significantly improved for samples with up to 2 wt.% nanoclay additives. With further increase in nanoclay weight percentage, failure mode shifted from ductile to brittle. Increase in exclusion of clay additives at the boundary of spherulites and segregation of clay platelets were observed for samples with higher weight percentage of clay additives.

The structure, morphology and mechanical properties of polypropylene-nanoclay composites with 1 to 15 wt.% nanoclay additives were investigated. Mixture of intercalated and exfoliated morphology was observed in nanocomposites. At higher weight percentage reinforcement (10–15 wt.%), up to 67 % improvement in tensile modulus is observed. At higher weight percentage, exclusion of clay additives at the boundary of spherulites was observed. This study illustrates that along with the thermodynamic driving force, spherulite formation also drives the ultimate morphology

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to acknowledge Techmer PM, Clinton, TN for providing the concentrates for this research. Financial support from the Center for Materials Processing (CMP) is also appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-2200, USA

    Raghavendra R. Hegde, Gajanan S. Bhat, Joseph E. Spruiell & Roberto Benson

  2. Department of Materials Science & Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Gajanan S. Bhat

Authors
  1. Raghavendra R. Hegde
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  2. Gajanan S. Bhat
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  3. Joseph E. Spruiell
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  4. Roberto Benson
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Correspondence to Gajanan S. Bhat.

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Hegde, R.R., Bhat, G.S., Spruiell, J.E. et al. Structure and properties of polypropylene-nanoclay composites. J Polym Res 20, 323 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-013-0323-1

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