Thermal Analysis, Mechanical and Rheological Behaviour of Melt Manufactured Polyethylene/Liquid Crystal Polymer Blends
Modification of properties of conventional thermoplastics with thermotropic liquid crystal polymers, from one hand, allows decrease their viscosities, substantially facilitating processing conditions, and, from another hand, allows increase their exploitation properties. Orientation of the labile structure of liquid crystal polymer in extrusion or injection moulding causes specific reinforcement (so-called self-reinforcement) to occur in the blends containing liquid crystal polymer. Up to now the effect of self-reinforcement is mostly investigated in the blends, containing considerable amount of liquid crystal polymer. In this research the effect of minor amounts of liquid crystalline co-po…
Development and Characterization of Novel Conductive Nanofiller Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Grafted with Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene)
In the present study, an approach for the graft polymerization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) has been evaluated. The surface of the MWCNTs was activated with thiophene groups through the amide linker followed by oxidative polymerization of EDOT monomer resulted in the development of PEDOT-g-MWCNTs. The methods of thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy were used for characterization of functionalization efficiency. The TGA data indicated of 21% functionalization attached to MWCNTs. X-ray fluorescence confirmed the presence of Cl, and S atoms in functionalized fillers. The study of Raman spectra confirm…
Evaluation of Mechanical and Structure Properties of Electron Beam Cross-Linked Ethylene-Octene Copolymer Nanocomposites with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Recently, ionizing radiation has found an application in nanotechnology especially attributed to the improvement of nanocomposites. In the present paper, we have developed and evaluated radiation cross-linked nanocomposites made of ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) with 0-15 wt.% of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and irradiated by 5 MeV accelerated electrons. The influence of combined factors of MWCNT filler content and the irradiation up to 150 kGy on the tensile stress-strain properties at 25–50°C was analysed. The cross-linking efficiency was also evaluated. The results indicated improvement in tensile properties with an increase of MWCNT content and the irradiation up to 150 kGy d…
Mechanical properties of injection-molded binary blends of polyethylene with small additions of a liquid-crystalline polymer
The results of the investigation of the mechanical properties of polyethylene (PE) blends with small (<3 wt %) additions of thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymers (LCPs) are reported. PE/LCP compositions with various LCP weight contents were obtained by thermoplastic mixing in a two-stage process. Short-term and long-term mechanical behavior of various PE/LCP compositions were analyzed. Data on the influence of LCP addition on the tensile elastic modulus [or Young's modulus (E)], stress at yield (σY), stress at break (σB), strain at yield, strain at break, and deformation at long-term (1000-h) tensile creep were obtained. The experimental results of the investigation show that even small …
Research of the physical-chemical properties of adhesive radiation-modified thermosetting materials based on polyolefins and their composites
The present paper surveys the investigation results of the adhesive behavior with steel of different polyethylenes (LDPE, HDPE) irradiated with γ-radiation in vacuum, oxygen, and air, using rheological, optical, thermomechanical and other methods. To study the adhesive contact, the technological parameters applicable to thermosetting polymer material were taken into consideration. The results show the suitable methods in order to obtain thermosetting polymer materials with improved adhesive and thermomechanical properties.
Growth mechanisms and related thermoelectric properties of innovative hybrid networks fabricated by direct deposition of Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 on multiwalled carbon nanotubes
Abstract Flexible thermoelectric generators are an emerging trend in the field of waste heat conversion, as well as wearable and autonomous devices. However, the energy conversion efficiency of the state-of-the-art flexible thermoelectric devices is too low for their wide application and commercialization. In this work, n- and p-type multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-thermoelectric material hybrid networks that may become a promising building block for the fabrication of flexible thermoelectric devices are presented. The hybrid networks were fabricated by direct deposition of thermoelectric material (Bi2Se3, Sb2Te3) on the MWCNT networks using physical vapor deposition technique. Growth m…
Manufacturing, structure and properties of recycled polyethylene terephthalate /liquid crystal polymer/montmorillonite clay nanocomposites
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/liquid crystal polymer (LCP)/monthmorillonite clay (MMT) compositions were obtained by melt mixing. Their mechanical, structural, rheological and thermal properties were investigated.
Thermomechanical Properties of Radiation-Modified Polyethylene/Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Copolymer/Liquid-Crystalline Copolyester Blends
Radiation-modified blends of high-density polyethylene (PE) with ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM; 10-65 wt.%) and thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymer (LCP; 10 wt.%) were investigated. The LCP was a liquid-crystalline copolyester of 40% poly(ethylene terephthalate) with 60% 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The constituents were blended using a circular extruder, the specimens were prepared by compression molding and irradiated by 60Co γ-radiation up to 200 kGy. Mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties in wide temperature range were investigated for the irradiated and non-irradiated specimens. The effects of irradiation on the thermomechanical behaviour of the PE matrix are discus…
New Thermoshrinkable Materials of Radiation Modified Polypropylene-Elastomer Composites with Cross-Linking Agents
In this work, electron beam modified heterogeneous composites of isotactic polypropylene (PP) with chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) have been investigated. The PP/CPE blend composites with an excess of elastomer (30/70 wt%) have been modified with trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) and bisphenol-A-dimethacrylate (BPDMA) cross-linking agents and have been irradiated with accelerated electrons up to ionizing radiation doses from 25 to 150 kGy. The internal stresses characterizing the thermoshrinkage properties (TMP) thermorelaxation stresses formed in thermal heating and the residual stresses resulting in the process of full setting and cooling of materials have been investigated for radiat…
Recycled Polycarbonate Based Nanocomposites
Post-consumer polycarbonate (RPC) blends with various amounts (5, 10, 30 wt. %) of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAc) are investigated as potential nanocomposite matrices. At EVAc weight content of 10 wt.% maximum tensile strength σM and impact strength AI increase is observed in comparison to neat RPC. Addition of EVAc, however, reduces resistance to creep as well as decrease thermal stability of the investigated compositions. Addition of montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT), however, allows increase modulus of elasticity E and yield strength σY of the investigated RPC blend with 10 wt. % of EVAc. Besides it creep resistance and thermal resistance of the investigated system is increased to …
Properties of radiation-modified blends of polyethylene with elastomers and liquid crystalline copolyester
The results are given on the effect of γ-irradiation on properties of blends of high and low-density polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE) with elastomers -ethylene/propylene/diene rubber (EPDM) and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), and thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP). The morphological, thermal, mechanical properties (including thermosetting properties) and adhesion properties of blended composites were investigated. A special attention was paid to the applicability of the blends as thermosetting materials (TSM). The LCP used was a copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with p-(hydroxybenzoic acid) in the ratio 40: 60. It was found that addition of LCP essentially influenced the therm…
Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Unvulcanized Polypropylene Blends with Different Elastomers: Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Terpolymer, Nitrile-Butadiene Copolymer and Chlorinated Polyethylene
In this work, composites of isotactic polypropylene (PP) with three unvulcanized elastomers – terpolymer of ethylene-propylene-dicyclopentadiene (EPDM), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and copolymer of acrylonitrile-butadiene (NBR) – have been investigated. The purpose of the investigation was to create PP/elastomer blend composites of significantly different compositions (with an excess of PP, intermediate ones, and with an excess of elastomer) and to study the dependence of tensile behaviour and elastic properties on the blends with different component ratio. Tensile properties have been recognized from the stress-strain curves. The changes of elastic modulus have been characterized with r…
Heat shrinkable behavior, physico-mechanical and structure properties of electron beam cross-linked blends of high-density polyethylene with acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber
Abstract In this study, heat-shrinkable composites of electron beam irradiated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites with acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) were investigated. HDPE/NBR blends at a ratio of components 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 50/50 and 20/80 wt% were prepared using a two-roll mill. The compression molded films were irradiated high-energy (5 MeV) accelerated electrons up to irradiation absorbed doses of 100–300 kGy. The effect of electron beam induced cross-linking was evaluated by the changes of mechanical properties, gel content and by the differences of thermal properties, detected by differential scanning calorimetry. The thermo-shrinkage forces were determined as the…
Liquid Crystalline Copolyester Made from Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate and p-Acetoxybenzoic Acid: Synthesis, Characterization and Blending with Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate
Polyethylene wastes (low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene and their binary blends) were subjected to high-energy radiation, using a 60Co gamma radiation source. The crosslinked materials thus obtained were processed to heatshrinkable films. Tensile strength could be sharply improved by increasing the dose up to 20 Mrad, simultaneously increasing the elongation at break of the most degraded PE waste. An increase of the degree of compatibility of LDPE and HDPE waste was also observed. All samples examined exhibit a “memory effect” after drawing at 130°C and cooling under tension followed by further heating under relaxed conditions. The value of shrinkage depended on the degree …
Starch Based Biodegradable Nanocomposites: Structure and Properties
Plasticized starch (PS)/montmorillonite clay (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by casting technique. Structural features, stress-strain characteristics and sorption properties were investigated. Upon introduction of rather small amounts of MMT, the PS parameters of the mechanical and barrier properties considerably improve. Tensile strength and elastic modulus of the materials examined decrease with increased moisture content, but the effect of reinforcement of PS with MMT nanoparticles remain intact.
Thermomechanical properties of radiation-modified blends of polyethylene with liquid crystalline copolyester
The results of investigation of gamma irradiated blends of high-density polyethylene (PE) with thermotropic polymer liquid crystal (PLC) are presented. The PLC used was a copolyester of 40% poly(ethylene terephthalate) with 60% p-(hydroxy-benzoic acid). The PLC content in the blends was 0, 5, and 10 wt%. The constituents were blended with the use of a single screw extruder. The specimens were prepared by compression molding. The irradiation of the samples was performed by a Co 60 γ-radiation source in inert atmosphere (argon) up to absorbed relatively low doses (up to 200 kGy: 1 Mrad = 10 kGy). The morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties were investigated for irradiated and unirra…
Thermal and elastic properties of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) + chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) blends
Eight types of PVC + CPE blends with different weight ratios (PVC/CPE = 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, 10/90, and 0/100) are tested. Data on the heat conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and heat capacity of the blends investigated are reported. Primary attention is paid to the structural approach for effective elastic constants: bulk, shear, and Young's modulae. The blends are considered as random mixtures of two isotropic constituents. It is found that the elastic moduli may be well represented by the Kerner and Budiansky equations.