José J. C. Cruz Pinto

Synthesis and characterization of montmorillonite-carbon nanotubes hybrid fillers for nanocomposites

Montmorillonite-carbon nanotubes hybrids were prepared by growth of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on five different types of iron-montmorillonite clays using the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method. Microscopy studies revealed the presence of carbon nanotubes protruding from clay surfaces and linking the clay layers in a network structure. X-ray diffraction results showed changes in the clay interlayer spacing induced by growth of carbon nanotubes within the layers of iron-montmorillonites. The quality of the resulting carbon nanotubes was evaluated by Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analyzes were used to evaluate the amount of carbon nanotubes and its thermal stability. The method used for the preparation of the iron-montmorillonites appeared to be critical for the quality and quantity of carbon nanotubes obtained in each hybrid. In a preliminary study the hybrids were used to reinforce polyurethane nanocomposite foams.

Analysis of the Creep Behaviour of Polypropylene

In this work, creep data for a polypropylene (PP) were obtained at different levels of tensile stress and temperature, and were then analysed in the light of a model developed, which is based on physical mechanisms (at the molecular scale) responsible for the material’s behaviour, considering that a minimum retardation time does exist. The model yields very good agreement with the experimental data and physically meaningful theoretical parameter values.

Time-temperature and time-stress correspondence in nonlinear creep. Experimental behaviour of amorphous polymers and quantitative modelling approaches

Abstract Non-linear creep is described by a non-simulative, analytical, dynamic molecular modelling approach. Elementary, molecular-scale, process-relevant frequencies are derived by adequate kinetic formulation. They follow almost exactly an Arrhenius-like behaviour with a range of activation enthalpies. Their relative contribution to the overall macroscopic behaviour of the materials is quantified to account for the materials’ retardation time spectra and final non-Arrhenius behaviour. A new creep compliance equation is derived, yielding a fully coupled timetemperature- stress formulation, with long-term predictive capability. Experimental data for poly(methyl methacrylate) are analysed to identify the extent to which timetemperature and time-stress correspondence relationships may be valid, and it is shown that they are approximations (especially the latter), limited to narrow ranges of experimental variables, in contrast to the proposed model, which more reasonably fits the experimental behaviour.