Fabrication and characterization properties of polypropylene/polycarbonate/clay nanocomposites prepared with twin-screw extruder

Abstract

Polypropylene/polycarbonate (PP/PC) nanocomposites containing various proportions of the organically modified montmorillonite were prepared by extrusion and injection molding process. The morphology of PP/PC nanocomposites was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The nanocomposites with 3 or 5 wt% of nanoclay (NC) show a uniform dispersion of the NC as pointed out by two different methods, TEM and XRD. It was shown that the morphology of dispersed phase (PC) is highly dependent on the content of minor phase, which was correlated with the balance of drop breakup and coalescence. The mechanical properties have been investigated by tensile test and Izod impact test. The virgin PP/PC samples showed a reduction in impact strength and elongation at break and up to 50% increase in Young's modulus by increase in PP content comparing with the pure PP. Investigating the effect of NC and PC content on the mechanical behavior of PP/PC nanocomposites showed increased Young's modulus and decreased impact strength with increasing PC and NC loading. An obvious ductile to brittle behavior transition at a high content of PC or NC was supported by notched Izod impact strength experiments and SEM results.

Morphological, rheological, and mechanical properties of hybrid elastomeric foams based on natural rubber, nanoclay, and nanocarbon black

“…Adding nanoparticles into elastomeric materials is one of the most suitable methods to improve the properties of the host matrix . NC is recognized as one of the most effective particles because of its thermal degradation resistance as well as mechanical properties improvement providing that good dispersion is achieved …”

Fabrication techniques of polymeric nanocomposites: A comprehensive review

“…Polymer nanocomposites based on nano clay (NC) were prepared by using a twin-screw extruder by Esmizadeh et al 57 The matrix consists of a blend of two polymers which are polypropylene (PP) and polycarbonate (PC). The used reinforcement was nano clay.…”

Synthesis of novel polycarbonate‐based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers compatibilizers with octadecyl side chains and their application in PC/PP blends

“…Currently, most compatibilizers that effectively improve the compatibility of PC/PP blends consist mainly of a polyolefin backbone grafted with functional groups, such as glycidyl methacrylate acid (GMA) and maleric anhydride (MAH), which can react with terminal hydroxyl groups in PC 13,20 . In addition, thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene‐ethylene‐butadiene‐styrene (SEBS) and inorganic fillers are also used as compatibilizers for PC/PP blends 17,21‐23 . These studies mainly focused on improving the dispersion of PC in PP matrix.…”