High-density polyethylene/needle-like sepiolite clay nanocomposites: effect of functionalized polymers on the dispersion of nanofiller, melt extensional and mechanical properties

Abstract

The present article reports the preparation of high density polyethylene (HDPE)/sepiolite-clay nanocomposites with improved mechanical performance and melt extensional properties by melt compounding using a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Maleic anhydride grafted high density polyethylene (HDPE-g-MA) (having different MFI and maleic anhydride content) was used as compatibiliser to investigate systematically the effect of polarity and molecular weight on the properties of HDPE/sepiolite nanocomposites. The influence of sepiolite loading (1-10 wt%) and type of compatibilizer on morphological, mechanical and melt extensional properties (melt strength, drawability and extensional viscosity) were investigated and analyzed. Sepiolite-clay significantly enhanced the mechanical properties, melt strength and extensional viscosity with slight reduction in drawability at 10% w/w loading. For example, $40% increase in tensile modulus and $50% improvement in flexural modulus was obtained at 10% w/w sepiolite loading. The compatibiliser having lower MFI showed significant improvement in melt extensional properties as compared to compatibiliser having higher MFI.Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed the better dispersion of sepiolite in the presence of compatibiliser, however it was much better when HDPE-g-MA having higher MFI was used as compared to compatibiliser having lower MFI. Thermal stability increased in the presence of sepiolite which was further improved in the presence of compatibiliser.

Influence of Organo-Sepiolite on the Morphological, Mechanical, and Rheological Properties of PP/ABS Blends

“…The selective distribution of inorganic nanoparticles can regulate the morphology of the dispersed phase and further improve the compatibility of blends [28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36]. It has been reported that many nanoparticles, including SiO 2 , ZnO, CaCO 3 , carbon nanotubes, and montmorillonite, could induce β -nucleation in PP, which resulted in higher crystallization rates [37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46]. Due to the large specific surface, high surface activity, and lack of abrasion, sepiolite (Sep) is an ideal enhancer for polymers [47,48,49,50,51].…”

Enhanced Dichroism of Polarizing Composite Films by Embedding Sepiolite

“…To date, the majority of research on clay-filled composites has primarily utilized natural layered silicate clays, such as montmorillonite (MMT). − In most instances, these fillers have served as reinforcing agents in polymeric matrices, yet significant advancements in the field remain elusive. On the other hand, sepiolite emerges as a promising material with applications spanning a wide spectrum due to its sorptive, rheological, and catalytic properties. − While sepiolite is a member of the clay family, it exhibits a fibrous characteristic that is distinct from that of conventional plate-like particles. The structure of this material is composed of two tetrahedral silica sheets and a central octahedral sheet with magnesium.…”

“…On the other hand, sepiolite emerges as a promising material with applications spanning a wide spectrum due to its sorptive, rheological, and catalytic properties. 15 − 18 While sepiolite is a member of the clay family, it exhibits a fibrous characteristic that is distinct from that of conventional plate-like particles. The structure of this material is composed of two tetrahedral silica sheets and a central octahedral sheet with magnesium.…”