Optimization of mechanical properties of PP/Nanoclay/CaCO₃ ternary nanocomposite using response surface methodology

Abstract

Response surface method of experimental design was applied to optimize the mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP)/nanoclay/CaCO 3 hybrid ternary nanocomposite using three different levels of melt flow index (MFI) of PP, nanoclay, and CaCO 3 contents. The samples were prepared by melt mixing in a lab scale corotating twin screw extruder. The main effect of each parameter on the tensile modulus, tensile strength, and impact strength was extensively discussed. The structure of obtained nanocomposite was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Tensile modulus and impact resistance of prepared ternary nanocomposite were correlated to considered parameters using a second-order polynomial model. Also, the optimum values of studied variables were determined using contour plots. The obtained results show that increasing the nanoclay and CaCO 3 contents improve the tensile modulus up to 45%, whereas the optimum value of impact strength, about 54%, is achieved at low concentrations of nanoclay (2 wt %) and CaCO 3 (8 wt %).

Modeling of tensile modulus in polymer/carbon nanotubes (CNT) nanocomposites

“…The modeling techniques help to realize the behavior of materials [11][12][13][14][15]. Also, the progress of simulation methods is much vital to find the structure-processing-properties correlation for design and development of advanced materials [16][17][18][19]. In the previous study, we expressed the studies for simulation of modulus in polymer/CNT nanocomposites [20].…”

Estimation of material and interfacial/interphase properties in clay/polymer nanocomposites by yield strength data

“…The interest in clay/polymer nanocomposites (CPN) has been grown in both industry and academy, due to the high potentials that they show by improved physical, chemical, thermal and mechanical properties (Adame and Beall, 2009;Zare et al, 2011;Zare and Garmabi, 2012b;Zare, 2015d;Fernández et al, 2013;Huskić et al, 2013;Zare, 2013;Norouzi et al, 2015). The well exfoliated clay in polymer matrix establishes significant improvement in modulus, stiffness, thermal stability, barrier properties and flame retardation (Kalbasi et al, 2012;Mallakpour and Dinari, 2013;Hajibeygi et al, 2015).…”

Thickness, modulus and strength of interphase in clay/polymer nanocomposites

“…Clay/polymer nanocomposites (CPN) have shown much improvement in mechanical, thermal, physical, barrier and chemical properties at very low clay content (Adame and Beall, 2009;Zare et al, 2011;Zare and Garmabi, 2012b;Fernández et al, 2013;Huskić et al, 2013;Zare, 2013). Their properties are achieved by well dispersed and exfoliated clay in the polymer matrix (Fasihi and Abolghasemi, 2012;Nazari et al, 2012).…”