Tomas Lozano-Ramirez

Carbon Fiber Composites of Pure Polypropylene and Maleated Polypropylene Blends Obtained from Injection and Compression Moulding

A comparative study of the mechanical performance of PP and PP/PP-g-MAH blends reinforced with carbon fibre (CF) obtained by two different moulding techniques is presented. Three filler contents were used for fabricating the composites: 1, 3, and 5 pph (parts per hundred). The crystallisation behaviour of the composites was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Morphological and structural features of these samples were observed by atomic field microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Mechanical properties of the injection and compression moulded composites were evaluated by means of tensile and impact resistance tests. The fracture surface of the impacted samples was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The processing method had a noticeable effect on the results obtained in these tests. Young’s modulus was enhanced up to 147% when adding 5 pph CF to a PP matrix when processed by compression moulding. Addition of PP-g-MAH and CF had a favourable effect on the tensile and impact strength properties in most samples; these composites showed improved performance as the filler content was increased.

Aniline-Modified Polypropylene as a Compatibilizer in Polypropylene Carbon Nanotube Composites

ABSTRACTMaleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) was reacted with aniline (NH2C6H5) to produce PP-g-NHC6H5 and used as a compatibilizer in polypropylene/carbon nanotube composites. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed the reaction between PP-g-MA and aniline. PP-g-NHC6H5 resulted a better compatibilizer than PP-g-MA, producing good dispersion and homogeneous distribution of the carbon nanotubes with less agglomerates, as observed by SEM analysis. Improved dispersion and distribution is assumed to be due to the π–π interactions between the –C6H5 ring in the prepared compatibilizer and the hexagonal carbon structure in the nanotubes. In addition, a higher degree of crystallinity (12%) was promoted, since it was favored by π–π interactions. This achieved higher crystallinity promoted an increase in tensile modulus, with only slight changes in tensile strength but with an adverse effect on elongation at break.

Improvement of the Photostability of Low-Density Polyethylene and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Blends with Nanoclay: Toward Durable Nanocomposites for Potential Application in Greenhouse Cover Films

ABSTRACT The effect of three different organomodified nanoclays (Cloisite 20A, Cloisite 30B, and Nanomer I28E) as well as the effect of a compatibilizer (PEgMA) was studied, with the purpose of developing greenhouse cover films based on polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate blends. Three organomodified clays were analyzed. The influence of organomodifier clay on film optical, morphology, mechanical, and photo-oxidative degradation properties as well as the effect of incorporation of maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene as a compatibilizer was studied. The combined effect of these nanoclays with two different UV-oxidative protection systems for polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate-nanostructured films was evaluated. Two types of UV stabilizer combination systems were studied; one with a combination of heat and light stabilizers of mixture of antioxidants (phenolic and metal deactivator, Irgatec NC66) with hindered amines, Tinuvin 494AR (designated as system-A) and other with a combination of metal deactivator antioxidant, Irganox MD1024 with hindered amines Tinuvin NOR 371 and benzophenones, Chimasorb 81 (designated as system-B). A strong influence is observed in the use of compatibilizing agent, type, and content of nanoclay in the degree of dispersion as well as in the photo-oxidation behavior. The structure obtained is very dependent on the modified clay used; mostly, intercalated–exfoliated clay structure is produced. The induction period for the photodegradation reaction to start is shorter in the samples with the nanoclay than in the pure polymer. There was a difference in the effectiveness of two stabilizing systems used. It was found a better performance for the stabilizer system-A, regardless of the type of clay used. These greenhouse cover films should allow the pass-through of visible light into the greenhouse during day but restrict the pass-through of the infrared radiation out of the greenhouse during night. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Influence of modified polyethylene compatibilizer on filler dispersion and flammability characteristics of linear low density polyethylene/cyclo olefin copolymer blends containing flame retardant combinations

Abstract In this study, the combination of organomodified montmorillonite (MMT), magnesium hydroxide (MDH), graphene oxide (GO) and expandable graphite (EG) as intumescent flame retardant for Linear Low-Density Polyethylene-Cyclo-Olefin Copolymer (LLDPE/COC) blends has been investigated. An amine-alcohol modified polyethylene (PEgDMAE) was used as compatibilizer. Limiting oxygen index (LOI), cone calorimeter determinations and flammability test (Underwriters Laboratory – UL-94) were used to evaluate the flame retardant properties. The structural characterization was measured by FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical properties were also evaluated by Dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA). The PEgDMAE compatibilizer enhanced the filler dispersion and increased the LOI to 22% for clay, 23% for GO and 26.5% for EG composites. The results indicated that the combination of each additive makes it possible to reduce the total Magnesium hydroxide filler content from 55 to 20% to achieve the flame retardant requirements. The flame retardant and mechanical properties of LLDPE/COC blends increased to a higher extent when using the combination of these additive fillers.

Composites of polypropylene/Candelilla fiber (Euphorbia antisyphilitica): Synergic of wax-polypropylene grafted Maleic anhydride

Abstract Previous studies of Candelilla bagasse fiber (CBF) have demonstrated the improvement of fiber-polymer adhesion; in the present investigation, the CBF was used to reinforce fiber of Polypropylene composites varying the amount of fiber (0, 20 and 30 wt%), using Maleic anhydride as compatibilizer. The total wax of cuticle/intercuticular varies between 9.5 and 10.5 wt%; according to the TAPPI standard Polypropylene/candellia fiber, composites were realized with intercuticular wax. The amount of fiber of 20% and 30% varied in the composite, with and without compatibilizer. In this paper, we will demonstrate that this cuticular fiber wax acts in synergy with the composite in mechanical properties, mechanical dynamics analysis to observe adherence and in “cole-cole” diagrams.