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Isothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene in melt‐mixed composites of polypropylene and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes
Author(s) -
Banerjee Joyita,
Parija Suchitra,
Panwar Ajay S.,
Mukhopadhyay Kingsuk,
Saxena A. K.,
Bhattacharyya Arup R.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.24491
Subject(s) - materials science , polypropylene , crystallization , nucleation , composite material , carbon nanotube , composite number , kinetics , phase (matter) , isothermal process , nanocomposite , dispersion (optics) , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , thermodynamics , optics
The isothermal crystallization behaviour of the polypropylene (PP) phase in PP/multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites has been investigated via differential scanning calorimetric analysis, which showed the influence of the varying dispersion level of MWCNTs in the respective PP matrix. PP/MWCNTs composites were prepared via melt‐blending technique, wherein two different grades of MWCNTs of varying average “agglomerate” size and varying entanglements (N‐MWCNTs and D‐MWCNTs) were utilized. Furthermore, the influence of melt‐viscosity of the PP phase was investigated on the crystallization kinetics of the PP/MWCNTs composites. Heterogeneous nucleation ability of MWCNTs has resulted in a decrease in half time of crystallization ( t 1/2 ) from ∼14 min for pure PP to ∼6 min for PP/N‐MWCNTs and ∼11 min for PP/D‐MWCNTs composites at 1 wt% of MWCNTs at 132 °C. Overall rate of crystallization (k) has significantly increased to 4.9 × 10 −2 min −1 for PP/N‐MWCNTs composite as compared with 6.2 × 10 −3 min −1 for PP/D‐MWCNTs composite at 0.5 wt% of MWCNTs at 132 °C. Moreover, the effect of a novel organic modifier, Li‐salt of 6‐amino hexanoic acid along with a compatibilizer (PP‐ g ‐MA) has also been investigated on the crystallization kinetics of the PP phase in PP/MWCNTs composites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1136–1146, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers