Enhancing the mechanical performance of polymer based nanocomposites by plasma-modification of nanoparticles

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe possibility of enhancing the mechanical performance of two different polymer-based nanocomposites using polyamide 6 (PA6) and poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] (EVA) as matrices was investigated. The nanofillers used were, respectively, either carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or an organically modified montmorillonite (Cloisite 15A), both previously modified by plasma treatment to introduce polar moieties. The nanofillers were fully characterized by Raman spectroscopy, XPS, FT-IR and XRD, demonstrating their effective modification with oxygenated groups. The nanocomposites were prepared by melt processing in order to obtain films and fibres. The mechanical tests carried out on the nanocomposites showed a remarkable increase of the elastic modulus when plasmamodified nanoparticles were used. The improvement of wettability and dispersion of the nanofillers in the polymer matrices, as confirmed by SEM observations, can be invoked to explain this feature.

Nanoclay/Polymer Composite Powders for Use in Laser Sintering Applications: Effects of Nanoclay Plasma Treatment

“…A significant decrease of the stretching vibration of the Si-O-Si bonds (990 cm À1 ) and some reduction in Si-O bonds (1116 cm À1 ) are observed in EC compared to NEC. These reductions suggest the introduction of lamellae disorder, 21 which can also explain some of the observed broadness of the XRD peak of EC (Fig. 3b).…”

“…3b). 21,27 The change in the chemical structure was not limited to the silicate band but also led to the formation of new hydroxyl groups, as evidenced by a small increase in intensity at 3623 cm À1 in the EC spectrum (Fig. 3a-ii).…”

“…The interpretation of this change is the formation of carboxyl from the carbon of the organic modifier. 21 Figure 3b shows the XRD diffraction patterns for both plasma-treated and non-treated nanoclays (EC and NEC). At high angles, the XRD spectra of NEC and EC exhibited two weak peaks at positions (2h of 19.7°and 2h of 19°).…”

“…plasma treatment, 18,19 and there have been only a few attempts at using the plasma-treated clay to prepare polymer nanocomposites. 20,21 However, none of those studies used the treated nanoclay to prepare the polymer/nanoclay nanocomposite through a LS process.…”

High performance PA6/CNTs nanohybrid fibers prepared in the melt

“…According to our previous works [5,10], in this paper we chose to functionalize, in oxygen plasma, two samples of CNTs that differ for synthesis method and characteristics in order to introduce polar groups on the nanotubes walls thus promoting the adhesion with polyamide 6. The CNTs were then added to PA6 by melt mixing and fibres were subsequently obtained by melt spinning and characterized from a mechanical, morphological and electrical point of view, comparing the properties of composites prepared with neat or functionalized CNTs.…”