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Tensile properties of polypropylene/kaolin composites
Author(s) -
Maiti S. N.,
Lopez B. H.
Publication year - 1992
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/app.1992.070440219
Subject(s) - ultimate tensile strength , materials science , composite material , polypropylene , agglomerate , elongation , composite number , tacticity , modulus , polymer , polymerization
Abstract Tensile properties of isotactic polypropylene filled with particulate kaolin fillers were evaluated in the composition range 0–60 wt % kaolin. Tensile modulus increased with filler concentration while breaking elongation and tensile strength decreased. The modulus increase was attributed to the restriction on the molecular mobility of the polymer imposed by kaolin particles. The decrease in elongation was also an effect of this restriction coupled with interference to stress transfer by the filler particles. Generation of discontinuity in the composite structure through formation of stress concentration points accounted for the tensile strength decrease. Morphology studies by SEM also indicated the introduction of stress concentration points by the presence of bare and nonadherent kaolin particles and their agglomerates with sharp edges in these composites.