Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Modifications Produced by Carbon Nanotubes and Fe.sub.2./sub.O.sub.3./sub. Nanoparticles

0570727 - ÚJF 2024 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Torrisi, A. - Torrisi, L. - Cutroneo, Mariapompea - Michalcová, A. - D'Angelo, M. - Silipigni, L.
Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Modifications Produced by Carbon Nanotubes and Fe₂O₃ Nanoparticles.
Polymers. Roč. 15, č. 5 (2023), č. článku 1169. E-ISSN 2073-4360
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA22-10536S
Institutional support: RVO:61389005
Keywords : ATR-FTIR * carbon nanotubes * energy gap * Fe2O3 nanoparticles * UHMWPE * UV-Vis
OECD category: Polymer science
Impact factor: 5, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051169

Thin sheets of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), both in pristine form and containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) at different concentrations, were prepared. The CNT and Fe2O3 NP weight percentages used ranged from 0.01% to 1%. The presence of CNTs and Fe2O3 NPs in UHMWPE was confirmed by transmission and scanning electron microscopy and by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDS). The effects of the embedded nanostructures on the UHMWPE samples were studied using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The ATR-FTIR spectra show the characteristic features of the UHMWPE, CNTs, and Fe2O3. Concerning the optical properties, regardless of the type of embedded nanostructures, an increase in the optical absorption was observed. The allowed direct optical energy gap value was determined from the optical absorption spectra: in both cases, it decreases with increasing CNT or Fe2O3 NP concentrations. The obtained results will be presented and discussed.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0342066