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Polyamide 6/silica nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization
Author(s) -
Yang Feng,
Ou Yuchun,
Yu Zhongzhen
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19980711)69:2<355::aid-app17>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - materials science , differential scanning calorimetry , in situ polymerization , nanocomposite , ultimate tensile strength , polymerization , polyamide , glass transition , crystallization , scanning electron microscope , chemical engineering , composite material , polymer chemistry , polymer , engineering , physics , thermodynamics
A polyamide 6 (PA 6)/silica nanocomposite was obtained through a novel method, in situ polymerization, by first suspending silica particles in ϵ‐caproamide under stirring and then polymerizing this mixture at high temperature under a nitrogen atmosphere. The silicas were premodified with aminobutyric acid prior to the polymerization. The effects of the addition of unmodified and modified silicas on the dispersion, interfacial adhesion, isothermal crystallization, and mechanical properties of PA 6 nanocomposites were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and mechanical tests, respectively. The results show that the silicas dispersed homogeneously in the PA 6 matrix. The addition of silicas increases the glass transition temperature and crystallization rate of PA 6. The mechanical properties such as impact strength, tensile strength, and elongation at break of the PA 6/modified silica nanocomposites showed a tendency to increase and decrease with increase of the silica content and have maximum values at 5% silica content, whereas those of the PA 6/unmodified silica system decreased gradually. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 355–361, 1998