Nanocomposites of polypropylene/titanate nanotubes: morphology, nucleation effects of nanoparticles and properties

0427379 - ÚMCH 2015 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Mikešová, Jana - Šlouf, Miroslav - Gohs, U. - Popelková, Daniela - Vacková, Taťana - Vu, Ngoc Húng - Kratochvíl, Jaroslav - Zhigunov, Alexander
Nanocomposites of polypropylene/titanate nanotubes: morphology, nucleation effects of nanoparticles and properties.
Polymer Bulletin. Roč. 71, č. 4 (2014), s. 795-818. ISSN 0170-0839. E-ISSN 1436-2449
R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP205/10/0348
Institutional support: RVO:61389013
Keywords : titanate nanotubes * polypropylene nanocomposites * nucleation effect
Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry
Impact factor: 1.438, year: 2014

High-quality titanate nanotubes (TiNT) were mixed with modified polypropylene (PP*) by a batch melt-mixing procedure. To improve compatibility between the nanofiller and the matrix, polypropylene (PP) was modified by electron beam irradiation. Effects of TiNT nanoparticles on crystallization, mechanical, thermal and rheological properties of the modified polypropylene were studied and compared with the analogous systems filled with commercial micro- (mTiO2) and nano- (nTiO2) titanium dioxide particles. Nucleation effects of the TiO2-based fillers on PP* crystallization were investigated in detail. The microstructure of the PP*/TiNT nanocomposites shows well-dispersed TiNT sparse aggregates (clouds), penetrated by the polymer. A large-scale structure in the nanocomposite melts confirmed also rheology. In comparison to the matrix characteristics, the stiffness and microhardness of the TiNT nanocomposites increase by 27 and 33 %, respectively. The enhancement in mechanical properties demonstrates that the quality titanate nanotubes can be used as an efficient filler in non-polar polymers using the polymers modified by irradiation. In the case of the nanocomposites containing nTiO2-anatase particles, the increase in these mechanical characteristics is lower. The investigated changes in the rate of crystallization indicate a marked nucleation effect of the nanotubes. The crystallization kinetics data, processed by the Avrami equation, suggest 3-dimensional crystal growth in the polypropylene matrix. The observed improvement in mechanical properties of the TiNT nanocomposites is induced not only by the nanofiller reinforcement but also by the changes of supermolecular structure of the polymer matrix due to nucleated crystallization.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0235081