characterization and mechanical properties of high density polyethylene/silane montmorillonite nanocomposites

in order to understand and improve these soft and weak mechanical properties of high density polyethylene (hdpe), we add a silane modifier (nanocor i.31ps) montmorillonite (mmt) as reinforcement material, then use two kinds of different surfactant: thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers (tpo) or maleic anhydride (ma), to join the pieces of hdpe together, making it possess polarization.

after that, use a plastograph-mixer by the twin-screw mixed method to obtain standard shaped specimens of polymer-clay nanocomposites (pcn) to prepare hdpe/mmt nanocomposites pellets. by adding the different weight percentages (1, 3, 5 wt.%) of mmt, and 2:1 ratio of ma and mmt, the layer distance of mmt and mechanical property of nanocomposites was investigated.

the chemical structure and polymer morphology of these as-synthesized pcn specimens were characterized by wide-angle powder x-ray diffraction (xrd) and scanning electron microscopy (sem). in addition, we prepare these experimental specimens in order to probe into its mechanical properties. these tests used are: layer distance of pcn, tensile, impact, shore-hardness, wearing tests, and so on.

in addition, use xrd to accomplish the characterization analysis — comparing it to scatter and layer-distance. it is found that adding the ma into the mmt, layer-distance at 5 wt.% mmt increase from 2.11 nm to 3.55 nm; and add the tpo into the mmt, layer-distance at 5 wt.% mmt increase to the 2.66 nm.

in the mechanical property, it is found that these specimens grafting with the ma have the following results: in the tensile test, the mmt weight percentage 3 wt.% has the best result, increased by 0.26%. in the shore hardness test, the mmt 3 wt.%, strengthened by 0.62%. in the wearing test, the mmt 3 wt.%, strengthened by 2.6%. moreover, these specimens graft the tpo have the following results: in the impact test, the mmt 5 wt.% has the best result, increased by 16.96%. in the shore hardness test, the mmt 5 wt.% strengthens by 11.11%.