Super‐high fraction of organic montmorillonite filled polyamide 6 composite foam: Morphologies, thermal and mechanical properties

Abstract

High fraction of inorganic compounds filled polymer composites with lightweight character show a potential application on building and transportation. In this study, super‐high fraction of organic montmorillonite (OMMT>30%) filled Polyamide 6 (PA6) foams were prepared via a solution foaming. The influence of OMMT content on structures and properties of foams was studied. When the OMMT content was higher than 50%, the surface of cells turned from smooth to nest‐like appearance. The addition of excessive clay depressed the crystalline behavior of PA6 during foaming. However, it did not damage the compressive mechanical properties of foams. PA6 macromolecules played a role of binder, endowing interfacial strength and structural integrity of cell walls. With the increase of OMMT loading content from 33% to 75%, the composite foams showed an increased specific moduli from 2.8 to 4.1 MPa. The current work realized a facile processing of polymer foams with high loading of fillers. The corresponding filler dominant lightweight products open the door to a wide range of potential applications to reduce the use of non‐biodegradable plastics.

Porous polyamide 6/carbon black composite as an effective electromagnetic interference shield

“…To make a homogeneous mixture, a high‐speed shearing disperser was used to blend them at a speed of 3000 rpm. The preparation of porous PA6/CB composite followed the process in our previous work, 48, 49 as shown in Fig. 1.…”

“…Our previous work proposed a feasible and affordable solution foaming method to realize a super‐high fraction (>40%) of organic montmorillonite‐filled composite foams 48, 49 . This inspired us to prepare a high‐performance lightweight EMI shielding porous composite with a high loading fraction of conductive fillers.…”

Preparation Methods, Performance Improvement Strategies, and Typical Applications of Polyamide Foams

“…(c) Schematic diagram of synthesis of PA-OMMT composite foams and corresponding formation mechanism. Reproduced with permission from ref . Copyright 2021, John Wiley and Sons.…”

“…Due to the high aspect ratio and large specific surface area of OMMT, it can significantly enhance the performance of PA, including improving tensile strength and thermal stability, reducing gas permeability, and enhancing corrosion resistance . As shown in Figure c, Wang et al prepared a superhigh fraction of OMMT/PA foam through solution foaming . The influence of OMMT content on the structure and performance of foam was studied.…”

“…1 As shown in Figure 5c, Wang et al prepared a superhigh fraction of OMMT/PA foam through solution foaming. 54 The influence of OMMT content on the structure and performance of foam was studied. When the OMMT content was over 50%, the surfaces of cells turned from a smooth to nest-like appearance.…”