Abstract
The rheological properties of two different nanocomposite systems consisting in the dispersion of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) in polypropylene are investigated. The nanoreinforced systems were identically prepared with two CNFs that differ only in the length of the fibers being otherwise identical to analyze the effect of fiber aspect ratio. Linear dynamic viscoelasticity and the steady-state rheology of the two different nanocomposites are presented. The system reinforced with CNFs with larger aspect ratio shows several rheological features that resemble peculiarities of rodlike polymers in the nematic liquid crystalline phase.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Choi YK, Sugimoto KI, Song SM, Endo M (2005) Mechanical and thermal properties of vapor-grown carbon nanofiber and polycarbonate composite sheets. Mater Lett 59(27):3514–3520
Davis VA, Ericson LM, Parra-Vasquez ANG, Fan H, Wang YH, Prieto V, Longoria JA, Ramesh S, Saini RK, Kittrell C, Billups WE, Adams WW, Hauge RH, Smalley RE, Pasquali M (2004) Phase behavior and rheology of SWNTs in superacids. Macromolecules 37(1):154–160
Dealy M, Wissbrun KF (1999) Melt rheology and its role in plastic processing theory and application. Kluwer, Dordrecht
Doi M, Edwards SF (1986) The theory of polymer dynamics. Clarendon, Oxford
Folgar F, Tucker CL (1984) Orientation behaviour of fibres in concentrated suspensions. J Reinf Plast Compos 3:98–119
Gao Y, He P, Lian J, Wang LM, Qian D, Zhao J, Wang W, Schulz MJ, Zhang J, Zhou XP, Shi DL (2006) Improving the mechanical properties of polycarbonate nanocomposites with plasma-modified carbon nanofibers. J Macromol Sci, Phys 45(4):671–679
Gauthier C, Chazeau L, Prasse T, Cavaille JY (2005) Reinforcement effects of vapour grown carbon nanofibres as fillers in rubbery matrices. Compos Sci Technol 65(2):335–343
Kang IP, Heung YY, Kim JH, Lee JW, Gollapudi R, Subramaniam S, Narasimhadevara S, Hurd D, Kirikera GR, Shanov V, Schulz MJ, Shi DL, Boerio J, Mall S, Ruggles-Wren M (2006) Introduction to carbon nanotube and nanofiber smart materials. Compos Eng 37(6):382–394
Kelarakis A, Yoon K, Somani R, Sics I, Chen XM, Hsiao BS, Chu B (2006) Relationship between structure and dynamic mechanical properties of a carbon nanofiber reinforced elastomeric nanocomposite. Polymer 47(19):6797–6807
Kiss G, Porter RS (1978) Rheology of concentrated solutions of poly(g -benzyl-glutamate). J Polym Sci, Polymer Symposia 65:193–211
Kitano T, Kataoka T, Nagatsuka Y (1984) Shear flow rheological properties of vinylon- and glass fiber -reinforced polyethylene melts. Rheol Acta 23(1):20–23
Kumar S, Dang TD, Arnold FE, Bhattacharyya AR, Min BG, Zhang XF, Vaia RA, Park C, Adams WW, Hauge RH, Smalley RE, Ramesh S, Willis P (2002) Synthesis, structure, and properties of PBO/SWNT composites. Macromolecules 35(24):9039–9043
Larson RG (1990) Arrested tumbling in shearing flows of liquid crystal polymers. Macromolecules 23:3983–3992
Lin-Gibson S, Pathak JA, Grulke EA, Wang H, Hobbie EK (2004) Elastic flow instability in nanotube suspensions. Phys Rev Lett 92(4):048302
Lozano K, Yang S, Zeng Q (2004) Rheological analysis of vapor-grown carbon nanofiber-reinforced polyethylene composites. J Appl Polym Sci 93:155–162
Ma HM, Zeng JJ, Realff ML, Kumar S, Schiraldi DA (2003) Processing, structure, and properties of fibers from polyester/carbon nanofiber composites. Compos Sci Technol 63(11):1617–1628
Marrucci G, Maffettone PL (1989) Description of the liquid crystalline phase of rodlike polymers at high shear rates. Macromolecules 22:4076–4082
Montesi A, Pena AA Vorticity alignment and negative normal stresses in sheared attractive emulsions. Phys Rev Lett 92(5):058303
Pötschke P, Fornes TD, Paul DR (2002) Rheological behavior of multiwalled carbon nanotube/polycarbonate composites. Polymer 43:3247–3255
Quijada-Garrido I, Siebert H, Friedrich C, Schmidt C (2000) Flow behavior of two side-chain liquid crystal polymers studied by transient rheology. Macromolecules 33(10):3844–3854
Sandler J, Windle AH, Werner P, Altstadt V, Es MV, Shaffer MSP (2003) Carbon-nanofibre-reinforced poly(ether ether ketone) fibres. J Mater Sci 38(10):2135–2141
Shaffer MSP, Fan X, Windle AH (1998) Dispersion and packing of carbon nanotubes. Carbon 36(11):1603–1612
Shen J, Han XM, Lee LJ (2006) Nanoscaled reinforcement of polystyrene foams using carbon nanofibers. J Cell Plast 42(2):105–126
Shenoy AV (1999) Rheology of filled polymer systems. Kluwer, Dordrecht
Song W, Windle AH (2005) Isotropic–nematic phase transition of dispersions of multiwall carbon nanotubes. Macromolecules 38:6181–6188
Song W, Kinloch I, Windle AH (2003) Nematic liquid crystallinity of multiwall carbon nanotubes. Science 302:1363–1363
Utracki LA (1986) Flow and flow orientation of composites containing anisometric particles. Polym Compos 7(5):274–282
Wang YR, Xu JH, Bechtel SE, Koelling KW (2006) Melt shear rheology of carbon nanofiber/polystyrene composites. Rheol Acta 45(6):919–941
Xu J, Donohoe JP, Pittman CU (2004) Preparation, electrical and mechanical properties of vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF)/vinyl ester composites. Composites Part A 35(6):693–701
Xu JH, Chatterjee S, Koelling KW, Wang YR, Bechtel SE (2005) Shear and extensional rheology of carbon nanofiber suspensions. Rheol Acta 44(6):537–562
Yang S, Taha-Tijerina J, Serrato-Diaz V, Hernandez K, Lozano K (2007) Dynamic mechanical and thermal analysis of aligned vapor grown carbon nanofiber reinforced polyethylene. Composites Part B 38(2):228–235
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by FIRB MAPIONANO.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ceccia, S., Ferri, D., Tabuani, D. et al. Rheology of carbon nanofiber-reinforced polypropylene. Rheol Acta 47, 425–433 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-008-0265-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-008-0265-4