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Preparation of Nanocomposites of Polypropylene with Carbon Nanotubes via Masterbatches Produced by In Situ Polymerization and by Melt Extrusion
Author(s) -
Araujo Rafael S.,
Oliveira Renato J. B.,
de Fátima V. Marques Maria
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
macromolecular reaction engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1862-8338
pISSN - 1862-832X
DOI - 10.1002/mren.201400012
Subject(s) - masterbatch , materials science , crystallinity , thermogravimetric analysis , carbon nanotube , nanocomposite , polypropylene , composite material , thermal stability , in situ polymerization , extrusion , dynamic mechanical analysis , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , polymer , polymerization , engineering
In the present study, a new polypropylene (PP)/multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) masterbatch is synthesized by in situ polymerization and compared with a masterbatch obtained by melt mixing. Both masterbatches are used for the realization of PP/MWCNT nanocomposites by mixing with a commercial PP in a laboratory extruder. It is shown that the use of masterbatch synthesized in situ allows providing additional enhanced thermal stability and mechanical properties. Samples are characterized according to their thermo dynamic‐mechanical properties, thermal stability, and degree of crystallinity, as well as by scanning electron microscopy. DMA analysis shows that there is a sharp increase in both storage and loss moduli of materials even with very low CNT content, in comparison with the neat PP. By means of thermogravimetric analysis, it is found that the thermal stability of nanocomposites is also increased. Furthermore, the degree of crystallinity of the materials containing CNTs is increased to higher value than that of neat PP, suggesting that the carbon nanotubes act as nucleating agent. A sharper increase of X c is observed in the composites with low CNT content prepared in the method using melt‐masterbatch, suggesting that there are more agglomerations of CNTs in this material.