Thermal Properties of PMMA/Montmorillonite Clay Nanocomposites

Abstract

Unsaturated polyester (UP) toughened epoxy blend system is developed. A nanocomposite based on an epoxy/polyester blend matrix reinforced by exfoliated montmorillonite clay has been processed to prepare nanocomposite specimens in different weight ratios viz. 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% for thermal and damping properties studies. The specimen are developed and studied as per American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Among all the weight ratios, 5% clay filled nanocomposite exhibited better thermal properties. Similarly, 4% clay filled nanocomposite exhibited better damping properties. The experimentation is further undergone to factorial analysis to extract the absolute optimal values of % clay-filled blend nanocomposite. The objective of this study is to identify a suitable nanocomposite which offers low-cost, high strength material; which can be applied for engineering and structural applications to provide better performance. I. INTRODUCTION Plastics are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature. Molecular orientation has a significant effect on thermal properties. The molecular weight of polymers affects low temperature flexibility and low temperature brittleness. Many other factors such as intermolecular bonding, cross-linking, and co-polymerization have considerable effect on thermal properties. At low temperatures, plastics tend to become rigid and brittle. This happens mainly because at low temperatures the mobility of polymer chain is greatly reduced. The study of the response of a material to heat is very important. When a solid absorbs heat energy, its temperature, and its dimensions increase. The heat energy absorbed by the solid may be transported to cooler regions if temperature gradient exists. Further heating of the solid causes it to melt. Therefore, the study of thermal properties of materials is essential to evaluate the thermal behaviour of polymers and their response to thermal changes [1-3]. The study of thermal behaviour of the polymers is also important for making component parts of automobiles etc. that have to withstand high as well as fluctuating temperatures. Materials that are used in various engineering structures like aircrafts, spacecrafts, automobiles, building structures etc. are required to possess certain special vibration-damping properties for best performance. The requirements are different for different applications. Some materials have good ability to dissipate elastic strain energy when subjected to vibratory loads and are widely used in the fields of high performance structural applications such as aerospace, marine, construction, etc. Damping is an important modal parameter for the design of structures for which vibration control and cyclic loading are critical. Damping is also a significant factor for the fatigue life and impact resistance of structures. All engineering materials dissipate energy under cyclic load. Some of them such as elastomeric, plastic and rubber dissipate much more energy per cycle than metallic materials. Damping varies with ...

Photo-Oxidative Degradation of Poly(vinyl Chloride) Based Nanocomposites Under Ultraviolet Irradiation

“…[17] It has been evaluated under different environments, mainly under thermal-and photoageing. The thermal durability of polymer nanocomposites based on PE, [18,19] PP, [20,21] PS, [22,23] PVC, [24,25] PMMA, [26] PVA, [27] EVA, [28] etc., had been widely reported. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a frequently encountered factor that can induce photodegradation of polymer materials under outdoor service environments.…”