Ali Sharif-pakdaman - Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute (IPPI), P.O. Box: ۱۴۹۶۵/۱۱۵
Jalil Morshedian
Yousef Jahani

In this work, silane grafted high density polyethylene (HDPE-g-Si) was prepared by reactive extrusion. This product and neat HDPE were then melt compounded with organically modified Montmorinollite (MMT) and polyamide-6 (PA6) to form ternary nanocomposites. Fourier Transfer Infrared (FTIR) was done for investigation of grafting efficiency of specimens. X-ray diffraction (SAXS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and thermal properties (DSC) were also examined for microstructure study and investigation of synergetic effect of silane grafting as well as adding organoclay in compatibilizing of blends. SAXS study showed that nanoclay was intercalated by PA6 or HDPE-g-Si chains, whereas the intercalation was weaker when we used neat HDPE especially in higher level of clay. The results of SEM indicated that silane grafted HDPE had hydrophilic characteristics and therefore was more compatible with PA than neat PE. Furthermore, in the same way adding nanoclay to this blends resulted more uniform and finer morphology. And finally, results of DSC confirmed the compatibilizing effect of silane grafting and organoclay dispersion on prepared composites by showing shift of separate melting peaks of HDPE and PA6 in the composites to evolve a broad single peak, indicating occurrence of a quasi co-crystallization in the blend.

Silane grafting, polyamide, HDPE, morphology