Effects of Reinforcement Combinations of Calcium Carbonate Nanofiller on the Mechanical and Creep Properties of Polypropylene

Chris Chukwutoo Ihueze, Chinedum Ogonna Mgbemena

Department of Industrial / Production Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.

DOI: 10.4236/jmmce.2010.910065                

Abstract

This paper investigated the effects of calcium cabonate nanofiller on the mechanical behavior of homo polypropylene by conducting tensile and creep tests. The Young’s Modulus of the nanocomposite showed some improvement with the incorporation of the calcium carbonate nano-filler while the tensile strength deteriorated. The stearic acid coated fillers showed the highest improvement in the above tensile properties at low volume fractions not exceeding 0.10 while the deformation rate increases with the inclusion of the nanofiller. The creep parameters evaluated include optimum elastic modulus estimated as 2GPa at 10% volume fraction, creep rate at ambient as 0.004-0.043hr^-1, and creep limit at ambient as 60-113MPa as opposed to the tensile strength of PPC predicted as 45MPa for treated and 37.5MPa for untreated, all as against 123MPa for neat and unreinforced PP, though at 0.05 volume fraction the tensile strength was evaluated as 140MPa and 133.3MPa for coated and uncoated PPC respectively.

Keywords

volume fraction, nanofiller , mechanical and creep properties, minimum creep rate, minimum creep strength, limit strain.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Manias, E. Nanocomposites: Stiffer by Design, Nature Materials, Vol. 6, pp9 -11, 2007
[2]	Karger-Kosis, J. Polypropylene: Structure, Blends and Composites. UK, Chapman & Hall, p.1-4, (editor), 1995
[3]	Guo, F. Clay/Polymer Composites: The story, Materials Today, 2004, November, p.50-55
[4]	Sudhin Datta and David, J.L.Polymeric Compatibilizers:Usesand Benefits in Polymer Blends.Munich;Vienna and New York: Hanser/Gardner Publications, Inc,Cincinnati, 1998.
[5]	Ritchie, R.O. Mechanical Behaviour of materials lecture notes University of California, Berkeley. Rhoads, 1993
[6]	Eiras, D and Pessan, L.A. Crystallization behaviour of Polypropylene/Calcium carbonate nanocomposites.Technical paper presented on the 11th International Conference on Advanced materials at Rio de Janeiro Brazil September p.20-25,2009
[7]	Hanim. H. The Effect of Calcium carbonate Nano-filler on the Mechanical Properties and Crystallization Behaviour of Polypropylene, Malaysian Polymer Journal (MPJ), 2008, Vol 3, No. 12, p 38-49.
[8]	Xie X.L, Q.X. Liu, R.K.Y.Li, X.P. Zhou, Q.X. Zhang, Z. Z. Yu and Y.Mai, (2004) Rheological and Mechanical properties of PVC/ CaCO3 Nanocomposites prepared by Insitu polymerization, Polymer, 45,p.6665-6673.
[9]	Di Lorenzo, M.L, Enrico M.E, and Avell M. Thermal and Morphological Characterization of Poly (ethylene terepthalate)/ Calcium Carbonate Nano composites, Journal of material service, 2002, 37, p.2351-2358.
[10]	Chan C.M, Wu J, Li J.X, and Cheung Y.K. Polypropylene /Calcium Carbonate Nano composites, Polymer, 2000,43, p.2981-2992.
[11]	Crawford, R.J. Plastics Engineering, 3rd ed, BUTTERWORTH, HEINMANN, Oxford, 1998.
[12]	Mickell P.Groover . “Fundamentals of Modern manufacturing Engineering”, John Wiley and Sons Inc, USA , p.182-184, 2007.
[13]	Zhang Q.X, Z.Z. Yu, X.L. Xie and Y.W Mai. Crystallization and Impact Energy of Polypropylene/CaCO3 Nanocomposites with Nonionic Modifier, Polymer, 45, p.5985-5994
[14]	Guth E.J. Theory of Filler Reinforcement, Journal of Applied Physics, 1945, 16, p.20