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Facile preparation of modified carbon nanotube‐reinforced PBT nanocomposites with enhanced thermal, flame retardancy, and mechanical properties
Author(s) -
Yang Wei,
Zhou Han,
Yang Benhong,
Lu Hongdian,
Song Lei,
Hu Yuan
Publication year - 2016
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.23354
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocomposite , carbon nanotube , composite material , cone calorimeter , differential scanning calorimetry , ultimate tensile strength , dispersion (optics) , thermal stability , crystallization , chemical engineering , combustion , organic chemistry , char , physics , optics , thermodynamics , engineering , chemistry
In this study, the carbon nanotube was modified by inorganic acids to introduce the carboxylic acid groups on the surface. The modified carbon nanotube ( m ‐CNT)‐reinforced poly(1,4‐butylene terephthalate) (PBT) nanocomposites were prepared through melt blending method. Morphological observations revealed that the m ‐CNT particles were homogeneously dispersed in PBT matrix. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis showed that a very small quantity of m ‐CNT can significantly increase the crystallization temperature of PBT. The improvement of thermal stability and tensile strength/modulus of the nanocomposites strongly depended on the uniform dispersion of m ‐CNT and the interactions between m ‐CNT and PBT through hydrogen‐bonding formation. In the cone calorimeter testing, the PHRR decreased from 1189 kW/m 2 for neat PBT to 737 kW/m 2 for PBT/0.9 m ‐CNT containing 0.9 wt% m ‐CNT with a reduction of 38%. The remarkable enhancement of flame retardancy properties was attributed to the condensed‐phase effect acted by the m ‐CNT. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1812–1820, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers