Effects of oxidative functionalization and aminosilanization of carbon nanotubes on the mechanical and thermal properties of polyamide 6 nanocomposites


KAYNAK C., ŞANKAL S.

JOURNAL OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS, vol.28, no.9, pp.1321-1333, 2015 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 28 Issue: 9
  • Publication Date: 2015
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/0892705713511480
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.1321-1333
  • Keywords: Carbonnanotubes, oxidative functionalization, aminosilanization, polyamide 6, NATURAL-RUBBER, COMPOSITES, SILANE, STABILITY
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The focus of this study is to investigate the effects of oxidative functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) and aminosilanized carbon nanotubes (s-CNTs) on the mechanical and thermal properties of polyamide 6 nanocomposites. Oxidation of nanotube surfaces was conducted with sulfuric acid/nitric acid mixture and then aminosilanization was carried out with -aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Nanocomposites were compounded by melt mixing technique and shaped by injection molding. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that f-CNTs and s-CNTs were dispersed more evenly due to increased interactions with the matrix. Tensile tests indicated that yield strength and Young's modulus of nanocomposites increased 20 and 23%, respectively, with the addition of only 1 wt% s-CNTs due to very efficient load transfer from the matrix to covalently bonded CNTs. Both dynamic mechanical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis showed that surface-modified CNTs improve all thermal properties due to decreased matrix mobility and physical barrier formation. For example, increases in the storage modulus values were as much as 25%, while the increase in the thermal degradation temperatures were as much as 5 degrees C in the specimens with only 1 wt% s-CNTs.