Preparation and Characterization of Alumina HDPE Composites

AFM Measurements and Testing Properties of HDPE and PBT Composites with Fillers in the Form of Montmorillonite and Aluminum Hydroxide

This paper presents the effect of the addition of fillers such as aluminum hydroxide or montmorillonite on the structure and properties of polymers such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Both types of specimens were obtained by injection molding. X-ray diffraction examinations were performed on the materials obtained to determine the effect of the addition of the fillers used on the degree of crystallinity of the composites. The density and hardness of the composites were evaluated, and the static tensile test and the analysis of the structure parameters using atomic force microscopy (AFM) were also carried out. It was shown that the addition of powder fillers to polymers such as high-density polyethylene and polybutylene terephthalate affects the structure parameters such as surface roughness, mean grain size, anisotropy ratio, fractal dimension, the corner frequency of the composites, and mechanical properties such as Young's pseudo-modulus, average adhesion force, hardness, and tensile strength.

Effects of Electron Beam Irradiation on Mechanical and Thermal Shrinkage Properties of Boehmite/HDPE Nanocomposite Film

Nanocomposites comprising high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and boehmite (BA) nanoparticles were prepared by melt blending and subsequently irradiated with electrons. Electron irradiation of HDPE causes crosslinking and, in the presence of BA, generates ketone functional groups. The functional groups can then form hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the BA. Additionally, if the BA is surface modified by vinyltrimethoxysilane (vBA), it can covalently bond with the HDPE by irradiation-induced radical grafting. The strong covalent bonds generated by electron beam irradiation allow the desirable properties of the nanofiller to be transferred to the rest of the nanocomposite. Since EB irradiation produces a great number of strong covalent bonds between vBA nanoparticles and HDPE, the modulus of elasticity, yield strength, and resistance to thermal shrinkage are enhanced by electron irradiation.