Polypropylene composites filled with in-situ grafting polymerization modified nano-silica particles

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 39; no. 10; pp. 3475 - 3478
• Main Authors: WEN HONG RUAN, MING QIU ZHANG, MIN ZHI RONG, FRIEDRICH, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 15-05-2004; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Materials science; Particulate composites; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymer matrix composites; Silicon dioxide; Technology of polymers; Strengthening; Thermoplastics; Butyl acrylate polymer; Textile oiling; Propylene polymer; Mechanical properties; Dispersion reinforced material; Experimental study; Property processing relationship; Silica; Composite material; Surface treatment; Concentration effect; Nanocomposite; Graft polymers
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1023/B:JMSC.0000026955.23175.db

Considering that grafting polymerization onto nanoparticles prior to blending with polymer matrix would produce some compact agglomerates that are hard to be split by the limited shear forces offered by conventional mixers, the in-situ grafting polymerization approach is adopted in this work to solve the problem. Concretely speaking, a planetary ball mill is designed to deal with the surface pretreatment of nanoparticles. The intentions of ball milling are to make grafting monomer penetrate into the nanoparticle agglomerates covering the surfaces of nanoparticles uniformly, and to initiate slight grafting polymerization onto the particles by mechanochemical effect. In-situ grafting polymerization is completed together with the matrix polymer in the subsequent melt mixing process when the mixer of a torque rheometer is employed. The objective of this communication is to show how efficiently the mechanical properties of polypropylene can be improved by the above route using nano-silica as the filler.