Nano-mesh superstructure in single-walled carbon nanotube/polyethylene nanocomposites, and its impact on rheological, thermal and mechanical properties

Oseli, Alen (author), Vesel, Alenka (author), Mozetič, Miran (author), Žagar, Ema (author), Huskić, Miroslav (author), Slemenik Perše, Lidija (author)

The mesh formation of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) superstructure, i.e. nano-mesh, in low- and high-density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE) matrices was observed by using plasma etching technique and SEM analysis. Nano-mesh was established by two mechanisms: i) alignment of SWCNT bundles (forming network backbone) and ii) shish-kebab induced crystallization (forming network net). The network was formed at low SWCNT content due to the high aspect ratio of nano-filler, which additionally contributed to alignment. Established nano-mesh superstructure caused confinement effect disrupting crystallization and melting kinetics, which directly affected mechanical properties. Although mechanical properties of LDPE and HDPE nanocomposites profoundly improved, i.e. Young's modulus increased for 230% and 30%, respectively, at only 1 wt% of SWCNTs, HDPE nanocomposites showed visible confinement that reduced effective reinforcement. It seems that HDPE nanocomposites cannot achieve full reinforcing potential since confinement effect restricts the crystal growth, which gradually reduces effective reinforcement in semi-dilute regime.

• Language: English
• Keywords: nanocomposites, nano-structures, physical properties, physical methods of analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 136, art. 105972
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-116530
• UDC: 620.3(045)
• ISSN on article: 1359-835X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2020.105972
• COBISS.SI-ID: 17053187
• Publication date in RUL: 27.05.2020

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Composites. Part A, Applied science and manufacturing
• Shortened title: Comp., Part A, Appl. sci. manuf.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1359-835X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 39162881

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: nanokompoziti, nano-strukture, fizikalne lastnosti, metode fizikalnih analiz