Study on characterisation and physical properties of polymer nano composites

Abstract

In recent years polymer nanocomposite materials have been studied by many researchers scientists and industrialists with the focus being on the characteristics and enhancing the mechanical properties of nanocomposites These materials are available easily at low cost and are easy to fabricate for various applications Polymer nanocomposites are a new class of materials comprising of polymer as matrix material and reinforcement material as filler that has particles of nanometer in size These materials have different physical and chemical properties and are mixed together to yield unique properties of nanocomposites Generally a small amount of nanoclay 05 to 5 wt material is added to polymer matrix materials to get the sufficient strength and stiffness of nanocomposites In the present investigation the High Density Poly Ethylene HDPE has been chosen as polymer matrix material because its properties are comparatively good moisture resistant and easily available at low cost The high density polyethylene is a thermoplastic and its processing is addition polymerization So it can be remoulded to any other shape and is reusable The reinforcement materials used are different nanoclay such as Montmorillonite MMT Cloisite 30B Cloisite 25A and hybriding of Cloisite 30B with Rice Husk Ash RHA These nanoclay materials are reinforced with HDPE with different wt 0 4 wt Compatibilizer of 3 wt of HDPE grafted with Maleic Anhydride (HDPE-g-MA) was used to provide better adhesion between the matrix material and nanoclay The nanocomposite materials were prepared by melt blending in a twin screw extruder with the spindle speed of 50rpm with different zone temperatures newline