The effect of maleic anhydride grafting efficiency on the flexural properties of polyethylene composites

Many authors have reported on the property enhancements possible by compounding high density polyethylene (HDPE) with fillers to produce composites. It is accepted that polyethylene combined with materials such as nanoclay or wood flour will not yield favorable properties unless a compatibilizing material is used to form a link. In this work, compatibilized HDPE was produced by grafting maleic anhydride (MA) to its backbone in a twin screw extruder using a peroxide initiated reactive process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to examine the effects of varying peroxide and MA levels on the grafting percentage and it was found that a high percentage could be achieved. The gel content of each HDPE‐g‐MA batch was determined and twin bore rheometry analysis was carried out to examine the effects of crosslinking and MA grafting on the melt viscosity. These HDPE‐g‐MA compatibilizers were subsequently compounded with nanoclay and wood flour to produce composites. The composite materials were tested using a three point bending apparatus to determine the flexural modulus and strength and were shown to have favorable mechanical properties when compared with composites containing no compatibilizer. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine the effects of grafted MA content on the intercalation and exfoliation levels of nanoclay composites. The results from XRD scans showed that increased intercalation in polymer nanoclay composites was achieved by increasing the grafted MA content. This was confirmed using a scanning electron microscope, where images produced showed increased levels of dispersion and reductions in nanoclay agglomerates. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Hydrophilic polystyrene/maleic anhydride ultrafine fibrous membranes

Polystyrene/maleic anhydride (PSMA) was synthesized to reach a viscosity‐average molecular weight of 700 kDa and fabricated into ultrafine fibrous membranes consisting of fibers with an average diameter of 300 nm. These ultrafine PSMA fibers were rendered insoluble in organic solvents by reactions with hydrazine and ethylenediamine (ED). The highly efficient incorporation of diamines into the fibrous membranes was easily achieved by brief immersions in either dilute (0.5 wt %) hydrazine for 1 min or ED ether solution for 2 min. Heating at 150°C for 5 min produced crosslinked PSMA with very little or no solubility in acetone with the retention of the fibrous membrane structure. The ED‐crosslinked membranes were particularly stable to both bases and acids as well as hydrophilic solvents, had a 46° water contact angle, and absorbed 22 times the amount of water as the as‐spun fibrous membrane. This post‐fiber‐formation crosslinking approach was robust, highly efficient, and fast and required very little crosslinking reagent. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Polypropylene composite reinforced with fibrillated curaua fiber and using maleic anhydride as coupling agent

Curaua fibers (CF) were fibrillated using high‐intensity ultrasonication, which is fast and uses water as a solvent. The fibrillated fibers (CF_f) were used as reinforcement (20 wt %) in polypropylene composites processed by extrusion with or without 2 wt % of polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PPMA). Fibrillation promotes an increase from 11.3 to 33.8 in the aspect ratio of the fiber. Sonication caused extraction of lignin and a decrease in the degree of crystallinity of the CF. Extrusion of the composites causes no additional fibrillation of the CF. A composite reinforced with CF_f had tensile and flexural strength of 24.9% and 51.5%, respectively, higher than that of pristine PP. The use of PPMA and CF_f in the composite promotes a further increase of 30% and 50.5% in these parameters, respectively. A thermal analysis of the composites using CF_f with or without PPMA showed similar behavior. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44913.     

Interfacial adhesion through maleic anhydride grafting of EPDM in PP/EPDM blend

This paper presents a study of interface modification effect through the use of maleic anhydride (MAH) grafting on one of the component polymers of the binary blend. The system used is binary blend of polypropylene (PP) and the elastomer EPDM (copolymer of ethylene–propylene–diene monomer). Two sets of the blend (i) PP/EPDM binary blend and (ii) PP/EPDM‐g‐MAH binary blend at constant degree of grafting (i.e., EPDM : MAH ratio) and at varying blending ratios were studied and compared for the properties and structure development. Results are discussed to illustrate the effect of interfacial modification due to presence of MAH by comparing the data of mechanical properties and crystallization behavior for the two sets of the binary blend at identical blending ratios, as well as to study the trends of variation of properties with blending ratio for each individual set of the blend. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102:5528–5532, 2006     

Polyurethane/organic vermiculite composites with enhanced mechanical properties

In this article, a series of polyurethane (PU)/organic vermiculite (OVMT) composites are prepared by intercalating polymerization. 1,4‐cyclohexane diisocyanate (CHDI) as hard segment of PU is designed to improve the decomposition temperature of composites. Vermiculite (VMT) is modified by method of cation exchange with octadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (OTAB); the resulting product OVMT with the function of physical cross‐linking disperses well in soft segment of PU polycarbonate polyol (PCDL), which improves the mechanical properties of composites obviously. This modification further enlarged the interlayer of OVMT and improved the properties of composites. The structure and properties of OVMT and PU/OVMT composites are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope, and tensile strength test. The results showed that the layer spacing of OVMT increased 1.41 nm compared with that of VMT (the value of layer spacing of VMT is 0.96 nm) and further enlarged to 2.92 nm by the loading of PCDL. The tensile strength and the strain at break of PUCPB/OVMT (3.0%) composites reached 26.8 MPa and 443%, respectively. The temperature resistance of PUCPB/OVMT (3.0%) composites is above 300°C, which is more suitable for the steam channeling plugging of heavy oil. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43219.     

Esterification effect of maleic anhydride on swelling properties of natural fiber/high density polyethylene composites

The natural fibers (banana, hemp, and sisal) and high density polyethylene were taken for the preparation of natural fiber/polymer composites in different ratios of 40 : 60 and 45 : 55 (w/w). These fibers were esterified with maleic anhydride (MA) and the effect of esterification of MA was studied on swelling properties in terms of absorption of water, at ambient temperature, and steam. It was found that the steam penetrates more within lesserperiod of time than water at ambient temperature. Untreated fiber composites show more absorption of steam and water in comparison to MA‐treated fiber composites. The more absorption of water was found in hemp fiber composites and less in sisal fiber composites. Steam absorption in MA‐treated and untreated fiber composites are higher than the water absorption in respective fiber composites. The natural fiber/polymer composites containing low amount of fibers show less absorption of steam and water at ambient temperature than the composites containing more amount of fibers in respective fiber composites. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Effect of a macromolecular coupling agent on the properties of aluminum hydroxide/PP composites

Polypropylene (PP)/aluminum hydroxide (ATH) composites were prepared in a melt mixer with addition of polypropylene functionalized with vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) as a coupling agent. The effects of ATH and PP‐VTES on the melt flow indices (MFI), tensile properties, decomposition temperatures, and flame retardancy of composites were analyzed. It was verified that increased ATH concentration reduced MFI and tensile properties, but increased the decomposition temperature under oxidative atmosphere and improved the flammability properties. Addition of PP modified with VTES slightly improved tensile strength and maximum elongation and granted the best results for the flammability tests of the materials showing that it can be an effective coupling agent for PP/ATH composites. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1799–1805, 2006     

Amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes for effectively improving the mechanical properties of pre-impregnated epoxy resin/carbon fiber

Pre-impregnated carbon fiber/epoxy resin (CF/epoxy prepreg) gained its popularity for significant stress applications, especially in the aerospace industry, owing to its excellent resistance and low specific mass. However, these CF/epoxy prepregs have a tendency to crack propagation. A solution for the prepregs fragility is the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), especially those functionalized with amino groups, reinforcing the material due to its exceptional mechanical properties. In this work, the influence of the carbon chain length of two different amino-functionalized CNTs from diverse backgrounds (commercial and laboratory growth CNTs) is studied. The nanofillers were added in CF/epoxy prepregs by dry spraying without solvent aid. CNTs' samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), while the composites were analyzed by TGA, dynamic-mechanical analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The various surface treatment occurred at different levels according to the CNTs background, and all samples exhibited a distinct behavior. These differences were also observed in the composites' thermomechanical performance: CNTs functionalized with larger carbon chain amine presented the best results, with an increase of almost 100% in the storage moduli (E'), confirming the efficiency of amino-functionalized CNTs in the reinforcement of CF/epoxy prepregs.     

Demulsification efficiency of some novel styrene/maleic anhydride ester copolymers

Four demulsifiers were prepared in three steps. In the first step, styrene and maleic anhydride were copolymerized. In the second step, a long‐chain alcohol (dodecanol) was reacted with the prepared copolymer to form the monoesterified copolymer. In the final step, the resulting product was further esterified with poly(propylene oxide) (PPO)–poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block copolymers of different molecular weights (1.1, 2.5, 3.0, 5.0, and 8.0 × 10³) and different PPO/PEO ratios. The demulsification efficiency of these demulsifiers was investigated with the bottle test (Sany glass). The effects of the molecular weight and ratio of the PPO–PEO block copolymers on the demulsification efficiency were studied. The demulsification efficiency could be enhanced from 66% by an individual demulsifier to 100% by demulsifier blends. The surface‐active and thermodynamic properties of the prepared demulsifiers were measured at 25, 35, and 45°C. The kinematics of the demulsification process were photographed with a binocular microscope. The demulsification mechanism was found to occur in three stages, that is, adsorption and flocculation, coalescence, and channel formation followed by separation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Physical and mechanical properties of kenaf/flax hybrid composites

This research investigates the physical and mechanical properties of hybrid composites made of epoxy reinforced by kenaf and flax natural fibers to investigate the hybridization influences of the composites. Pure and hybrid composites were fabricated using bi-directional kenaf and flax fabrics at different stacking sequences utilizing the vacuum-assisted resin infusion method. The pure and hybrid composites' physical properties, such as density, fiber volume fraction (FVF), water absorption capacity, and dimensional stability, were measured. The tests of tensile, flexural, interlaminar shear and fracture toughness (Mode II) were examined to determine the mechanical properties. The results revealed that density remained unchanged for the hybrid compared to pure kenaf/epoxy composites. The tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear performance of flax/epoxy composite is improved by an increment of kenaf FVF in hybrid composites. The stacking sequence significantly affected the mechanical properties of hybrid composites. The highest tensile strength (59.8 MPa) was obtained for FK2 (alternative sequence of flax and kenaf fibers). However, FK3 (flax fiber located on the outer surfaces) had the highest interlaminar shear strength (12.5 MPa) and fracture toughness (3302.3 J/m²) among all tested hybrid composites. The highest water resistance was achieved for FK5 with the lowest thickness swelling.     

Effect of polyurethane sizing on carbon fibers surface and interfacial adhesion of fiber/polyamide 6 composites

Commercial epoxy sized carbon fibers (CFs) or unsized CFs have poor interfacial adhesion with polyamide 6 (PA6). Here, CFs are coated with polyurethane (PU) and their surface properties in terms of surface chemistry, contact angle, roughness, and morphology, are investigated. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy demonstrate PU sizing evidently increases the quantity of polar functional groups on the CFs surface. The surface energy of the PU sized fiber is calculated according to the Owens–Wendt method. Compared with unsized fibers, the contact angle of PU sized fibers is decreased while their total surface energy is increased, indicating superior wettability. Moreover, transverse fiber bundle tests are performed to determine the interfacial adhesion between the CFs and PA6 matrix. The transverse fiber bundle strength of unsized CF is measured to be 12.57 MPa. For PU sized CFs processed with sizing concentration of 1.2%, this value is increased to 24.35 MPa, showing an increase of more than 90%. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46111.     

Non-isothermal crystallization kinetic and compatibility of PTT/PP blends by using maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene as compatibilizer

The crystallization behaviors, non-isothermal crystallization kinetics, and the morphology of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/Polypropylene (PTT/PP) blends using a maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) as a compatibilizer were investigated by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The results suggested that the blends exhibited different crystallization and melting behaviors due to different content of PP-g-MAH. All of the DSC curves of the blends exhibited two exothermic peaks and endothermic peaks. The commonly used Avrami equation modified by Jeziorny, Ozawa theory and the method developed by Mo were used, respectively, to fit the primary stage of non-isothermal crystallization process. The results suggested that the crystallization rate of PTT component was increased, whereas, that of PP component was retarded with the introduction of PP-g-MAH. The effective activation energy was calculated by differential iso-conversional method developed by Vyazovkin. The SEM result suggested that the introduction of PP-g-MAH greatly improved the compatibility between PTT and PP, and decreased the size of dispersed particles.     

界面粘接对填充复合材料力学性能的影响

利用原位聚合的方法将聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯（PMMA）包覆在滑石粉的表面,制得了含PMMA粘接层的滑石粉／PVC复合材料。聚合物粘接层类似于粘接材料的粘接剂的作用,它很好地改善了复合材料的界面粘附性,提高了复合材料的机械强度,由于聚合物粘和基体聚合物的相互扩散以及界面内应力的存在,和昨合材料中存在一个最佳的聚合物粘接层。     

Effect of water aging on the mechanical properties of flax fiber/bio-based resin composites

Present work investigates the effect of hydrothermal aging of flax fiber-reinforced bio-based epoxy resin laminates on the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of the composites. Three different types of bio-based resins were used. Plates reinforced with eight layers plain weave flax fibers of 150 g/m², manufactured using Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), compression molding or autoclave technique depends on type of the resin. One dimensional Fickian behavior shows a good fitting to the experimental data derived from weight measurements. The water uptake at the equilibrium state in the case of 60 °C temperature was slightly greater than that at 40 °C. The mechanical properties after hydrothermal aging show a significant reduction and do not return to their initial values even after the drying process. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48787.     

Effect of silk fiber to the mechanical and thermal properties of its biodegradable composites

In recent years, natural fiber‐reinforced biodegradable thermoplastics are being recognized as an emerging new environmentally friendly material for industrial, commercial, and biomedical applications. Among different types of natural fibers, silk fiber is a common type of animal‐based fiber, has been used for biomedical engineering and surgical operation applications for many years because of its biocompatible and bioresorbable properties. On the basis of our previous study, a novel biodegradable biocomposite for biomedical applications was developed by mixing chopped silk fiber and polylactic acid (PLA) through the injection molding process. This article is aimed at studying the dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of the composite in relation to its biodegradation effect. At the beginning, it was found that the initial storage modulus of a silk fiber/PLA composite increased while its glass transition temperature decreased as compared with a pristine PLA sample. Besides, the coefficient of linear thermal expansions (CLTE) of the composite was reduced by 28%. This phenomenon was attributed to the fiber–matrix interaction that restricted the mobility of polymer chains adhered to the fiber surface, and consequently reduced the T_g and CLTE. It was found that the degraded composite exhibited lower initial storage modulus, loss modulus and tan delta (tan δ) but the T_g was higher than the silk fiber/PLA composite. This result was mainly due to the increase of crystallinity of the composite during its degradation process. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Structure and properties of UHMWPE fiber/carbon fiber hybrid composites

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber/carbon fiber hybrid composites were prepared by inner‐laminar and interlaminar hybrid way. The mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and morphologies of the composites were investigated and compared with each other. The results show that the hybrid way was the major factor to affect mechanical and thermal properties of hybrid composites. The resultant properties of inner‐laminar hybrid composite were better than that of interlaminar hybrid composite. The bending strength, compressive strength, and interlaminar shear strength of hybrid composites increased with an increase in carbon fiber content. The impact strength of inner‐laminar hybrid composite was the largest (423.3 kJ/m²) for the UHMWPE fiber content at 43 wt % to carbon fiber. The results show that the storage modulus (E′), dissipation factor (tan δ), and loss modulus (E″) of the inner‐laminar hybrid composite shift toward high temperature remarkably. The results also indicate that the high‐performance composite with high strength and heat resistance may be prepared by fibers' hybrid. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1880–1884, 2006     

Adhesion of maleic anhydride functionalized polyolefins and blends

We study three new classes of olefin‐based polymer, low‐molecular‐weight homopolypropylene (LMW‐hPP), syndiotactic‐rich polypropylene (srPP), and random propylene polymer (RPP). RPP is a random propylene/ethylene copolymer. By blending LMW‐hPP with 20 wt % of a maleic anhydride (MA) functionalized srPP (MA‐srPP) or MA functionalized RPP (MA‐RPP) instead of a commercial MA‐iPP (maleic anhydride‐grafted‐isotactic polypropylene), adhesion to a polar substrate, such as polyester (Mylar), is greatly enhanced. Effects of crystallinity controlled by either stereoregularity or comonomer incorporation and molecular weight of these MA functionalized propylene‐based polymers on adhesive performance are discussed. To further understand the mechanisms of enhanced adhesion, Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) spectroscopy is used to evaluate the migration of MA‐srPP in LMW‐hPP towards the interface when contacting a polar sapphire substrate. It shows that the buried interface between the LMW‐hPP/MA‐srPP blend (wt ratio = 80/20) and sapphire has the same characteristic spectrum as the MA‐srPP/sapphire interface, suggesting the enrichment of MA‐srPP in the interfacial polymer when the blend is in contact with sapphire. Also, vibrational modes of C=O have been detected at both the blend/sapphire and MA‐srPP/sapphire interfaces, further indicating that the interfacial polymer contains MA groups. Besides Mylar, adhesion to the non‐polar iPP substrate is also studied. The adhesion mechanisms to these polar and non‐polar substrates are explained in terms of our adhesion model. Applications of these MA functionalized polyolefins and blends are envisioned in the tie‐layer and adhesive areas. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39855.     

Processability and mechanical properties of ternary composites PP/EPDM/GF

The enhancement of the mechanical properties of neat PP is achieved by the addition of glass fibers and EPDM rubber. The Young's modulus and notched Charpy impact strength of the composites obtained are improved with respect to the original polymer, leading to a new composite material with a very good balance of toughness and rigidity properties. The tensile behavior of these multiphase systems is successfully compared with theoretical predictions using the Halpin‐Tsai/Nielsen theory for uniaxially short fiber composites, which considers the matrix as a blend with spherical particles and can predict the tensile modulus considering an average fiber orientation angle. An accurate morphological study performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows a very good dispersion of the rubbery phase into the neat matrix. No special affinity between the rubber and the fibers is reported. The good dispersion and the small particle diameter indicate the good processability of the ternary systems studied.     

Bonding characteristics of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers coated with maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene in cement‐based composites

In this study, we sought to enhance the bond performance between recycled polyethylene terephthalate(PET) fibers and cement‐based composites using a hydrophilization treatment with hydrophilic maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (mPP). The bond performance was evaluated with bone‐shaped specimens after the hydrophilization treatment. The effects of the concentration of mPP in the solution in which the PET fibers were immersed (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%) and the three types of shapes on the surface energy of the recycled PET fibers were evaluated. The pullout behavior, bond strength, and interfacial energy all increased with the concentration of mPP to 15% but decreased at 20%. This occurred because 15% mPP coated the recycled PET fiber thoroughly, whereas a 20% mPP coating resulted in partial cracks, which led to fractures on application of a pullout load. Of the fiber shapes, the embossed fibers demonstrated the best bond behavior. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Effect of fiber/matrix chemical modification on the mechanical properties and water absorption of extruded flax/polypropylene composite

Compound of flax/polypropylene (PP) is characterized concerning the mechanical properties of stiffness, strength, and impact in addition to the water absorption behavior. Manufacturing takes place by twin‐screw extruder. The extruder screw layout is modified through different kneading elements to get high fiber aspect ratio. Sodium hydroxide solution was used as a washing solution for the flax fibers' surfaces. Both fiber and matrix are chemically modified. Selected groups of the fibers were further treated using trimethoxyvinylsilan TMVS and acrylic acid AA. The PP matrix is also treated with different coupling agents; namely, maleated PP MAPP, TMVS‐MAPP, and acrylic acid‐functionalized PP AAPP. The combinations of different fiber/matrix are extruder compounded, injection molded, and finally tested. Fiber modification seems to be positive with AA‐modified surface. AAPP matrix modification improves the stiffness four times that of the untreated flax/PP. Till 30 and 40 wt %, the more the fiber is the more the strength and stiffness, respectively. MAPP‐modified matrix improves the mechanical properties and keeps low water absorption values. AAPP‐modified matrix shows the best stiffness values. TMVS‐MAPP does not seem to have distinguished improvement compared with MAPP. NaOH‐TMVS/MAPP and NaOH‐TMVS/AAPP systems can serve as alternatives to the normal NaOH/MAPP treatment. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009