Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-cjp7w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-05T03:51:15.479Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A Powder Processing Route to Polymer Composites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Giorgiana Giancola
Affiliation:
[email protected], Rutgers University, Materials Science and Engineering, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States
Richard L Lehman
Affiliation:
[email protected]@rutgers.edu, Rutgers University, Materials Science and Engineering, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States
Get access

Abstract

Powder processing of thermoplastic polymer composites offers multiple advantages for both micro- and nano-scale systems. A high degree of component homogenization is achieved prior to melt forming of the composite, thus minimizing degradation associated with extended thermal processing at high shear. Polymer blends can be prepared that would otherwise not be possible due to thermodynamic incompatibility. Initial evaluation of this concept was conducted by processing PMMA and HDPE micron size powder prepared by emulsion polymerization. Spherical silica particles of comparable size (mean size = 5 μm) were added to a 30/60 PMMA/HDPE blend at the 10 volume percent concentration and mixed in an aqueous medium prior to drying and extrusion. Analysis of optical and electron microscope images of the raw mixture shows good homogeneity and distribution of the small inorganic particles around the larger matrix phase particles by the process of interstitial filling. The melt-processed composite was observed by SEM and consisted of a three-phase system of dispersed silica and PMMA particles in a HDPE matrix.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Avila-Herrera, C.A, Goḿez-Guzmán, O., Almaral-Sánchez, J.L, Yáñez-Limón, J.M, Muñoz-Saldaña, J. and Ramírez-Bon, R., Mechanical and thermal properties of SiO2 – PMMA monoliths, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 352 (2006), 35613566.Google Scholar
2 , Zhu, Shi, Z. Cai, A. Zhao, F., and Liao, T. Synthesis of core-shell PMMA-SiO2 nanoparticles with suspension-dispersion-polymerization in an aqueous system and its effect on mechanical properties of PVC composites, Polymer Testing, 27 (2008), 540547.Google Scholar
3 Joshi, J. Lehman, R. and Nosker, T. Selected physical characteristics of polystyrene/high density polyethylene composites prepared from virgin and recycled materials, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 99 (2006), 20442051.Google Scholar
4 Reignier, J. and Favis, B.D. Control of subinclusion microstructure in HDPE/PS/PMMA ternary blends, Macromolecules, 33 (2000), 69987008.Google Scholar
5 Quédé, A., Cardoso, J. Bras, M. Le, Delobel, R. Goudmand, P. Dessaux, O. and Jama, C. Thermal stability and flammability studies of coated polymer powders using a plasma fluidized bed process, Journal of Materials Science, 37 (2002) 13951399.Google Scholar
6 Shi, D. Yu, W. and Li, R.K.Y. Study of nanocomposites containing core-shell fillers with rigid nano- SiO2 in PMMA matrix, Journal of Material Science, 43 (2008), 11621165.Google Scholar
7 Ermoshin, N.G. Tin'kov, O.V, Varenykh, N.M. and Sarab'ev, V.I, Cryogenic processing of polymer binders in the production of mixed powder products, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, 45 (2009), 1521.Google Scholar
8 Chrissafis, K. Paraskevopoulos, K.M. Pavlidou, E. and Bikiaris, D. Thermal degradation mechanism of HDPE nanocomposites containing fumed silica nanoparticles, Thermochimica Acta, 485 (2009), 6571.Google Scholar
9 Park, B. J. Kim, M. S. Choi, H. J. Fabrication and magneto-rheological property of core/shell structured magnetic composite particle encapsulated with cross-linked poly(methyl methacrylate), Materials Letters 63 (2009) 21782180.Google Scholar