The Characteristics of Polypropylene Layered-Silicate Nanocomposites
Organoclay reinforced polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites have been prepared by melt intercalation using extrusion. Their structural, rheological and mechanical properties have been investigated. It was found that the organoclays were intercalated and dispersed evenly in the matrix. Both polypropylene and its nanocomposites demonstrated a meltlike rheological behaviour under small-strain oscillatory shear. The storage and loss moduli of the nanocomposites decreased with temperature and increased with organoclay concentration. The effect of temperature and organoclay content on the steady shear viscosity was also studied and a shear thinning behaviour was found at higher shear rates, which facilitated their processing using conventional equipment. The elastic modulus of PP nanocomposites was increased significantly comparing to PP.