Synthesis and characterization of novel polymer/clay nanocomposites based on poly (butylene 2,5-furan dicarboxylate)

Calorimetric and Dielectric Study of Renewable Poly(hexylene 2,5-furan-dicarboxylate)-Based Nanocomposites In Situ Filled with Small Amounts of Graphene Platelets and Silica Nanoparticles

“…Before proceeding with the presentation and discussion of results, we should note that the relatively low amount of 1 to 3.5 wt % for such fillers, and especially graphene, along with the in situ preparation method for PNCs, were selected based on our previous experience. In similar polyesters based on FDCA and reinforced with graphene [36,37], CNTs [51], MMTs [34] at such low loadings were found to demonstrate optimum improvements in crystallization and mechanical performance in connection to good filler dispersion. In addition, out of the methods for preparation of PNCs, e.g., melt-mixing, "in situ polymerization" offers the benefit of better and more uniform filler dispersion within the polymer matrix.…”

“…Thus, we conclude that by conventional techniques, we were not able to prepare amorphous PHF. This fact for PHF becomes more interesting when comparing with similar polyesters based, however, on shorter monomers e.g., PPF (propylene-) [36,51] and PBF (butylene-) [34], which for cooling rates above 60-70 K/min (cooling from the melt) could remain amorphous. Thus, with the increase of the methylene sequences in the monomer (by only two), nucleation is significantly enhanced and thus the crystallization is facilitated, which is both interesting and wanted from the processing point of view.…”

“…Furthermore, FDCA-based polyesters present an additional advantage in their semicrystalline character, which is also responsible for their good mechanical performance. In contrast to poly(propylene/butylene 2,5-furan-dicarboxylate) (PPF/PBF) [33,34] which shows poor crystallization, PHF seems to crystallize faster and in larger amounts [28].…”

“…As in the majority of semicrystalline polymers, the mechanical performance in the FDCA-based polyesters is strongly connected with the degree of crystallinity and crystal structure [34][35][36][37]. To increase crystallinity, except for modifying the polymer structure or developing special thermal treatments, another common strategy refers to the introduction in the polymer matrix of properly selected inorganic nano-inclusions [7,16,38].…”

“…To increase crystallinity, except for modifying the polymer structure or developing special thermal treatments, another common strategy refers to the introduction in the polymer matrix of properly selected inorganic nano-inclusions [7,16,38]. This strategy proved successful in our recently published work for PPF and PBF [34,36,37]. Furthermore, we showed that even very small amounts of filler loadings (0.5, 1, 2 wt %) can impose significant improvements in the rate of crystallization of FDCA-based polyesters, in particular when this is combined with in situ PNC synthesis.…”