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Temperature and strain rate dependences of yield stress of polypropylene composites reinforced with carbon nanofibers
Author(s) -
Bao S.P.,
Tjong S.C.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.20739
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , polypropylene , ultimate tensile strength , nanocomposite , carbon nanofiber , toughness , yield (engineering) , compounding , izod impact strength test , molding (decorative) , carbon nanotube
Polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites filled with 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 wt% carbon nanofiber (CNF) were prepared via melt compounding in a twin‐screw extruder followed by injection molding. The effects of CNF additions on the structure, mechanical and tensile yielding behavior of PP were investigated. TEM and SEM observations showed that CNFs were dispersed uniformly within PP matrix. Tensile test showed that the yield strength and Young's modulus of PP were improved considerably by adding very low CNF loadings. The reinforcing effect of CNF was also verified from the dynamic mechanical analysis. Impact measurement revealed that the CNF additions were beneficial to enhance the impact toughness of PP. The yield stress of the PP/CNF nanocomposites was found to be strain rate and temperature dependent. The yielding responses of PP/CNF nanocomposites can be described successfully by the Erying's equation and a reinforcing index n . The structure and mechanical property relationship of the nanocomposites is discussed. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers