Polymers and Polymer Composites

EFFECT OF INTERFACIAL MODIFICATION ON THE RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND NUCLEATION BEHAVIOUR OF PP-BaSO”4 COMPOSITES

May 1, 2006 By: Ke Wang; Jingshen Wu; Hanmin Zeng Research article

Title: EFFECT OF INTERFACIAL MODIFICATION ON THE RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND NUCLEATION BEHAVIOUR OF PP-BaSO”4 COMPOSITES
Page Range: p.473-481
Author(s): Ke Wang; Jingshen Wu; Hanmin Zeng
File size: 295K
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 14
Issue No: No. 5

Abstract
The effect of surface treatment of barium sulphate filler particles on the rheological behaviour of PP composites was studied. The polypropylene-barium sulphate composites were prepared by pretreating the filler with stearic acid, silane and polypropylene-g-maleic anhydride, respectively. The effects of the PP-barium sulphate interfacial interaction on the rheological properties and nucleation behaviour of the composites were studied. It was shown that once the polymer-filler interfacial interaction had been enhanced by reactive coupling agents, the fillers acted as temporary physical crosslinking points, effectively restricting the motion of polymer chains neighbouring the filler particles. As a result, the tendency of the polymer chains to undergo intermolecular slippage was reduced, and the melt viscosity was enhanced. However, when the filler surface was modified with non-reactive coupling agents such as stearic acid, the reduced particle-particle interaction and lubricating effect of the stearic acid decreased viscosity. With the modification of the interface, the barium sulphate dispersion in PP was improved and the thermodynamic potential barrier for the formation of primary nuclei was reduced by the adsorption mechanism. 16 refs.


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