- Previous Article
- Next Article
- Table of Contents
Korea-Australia Rheology Journal, Vol.13, No.2, 61-65, June, 2001
Ultrasonic degradation of polypropylene and its application for the development of PP based copolymer and nanocomposite
E-mail:
Thermoplastic nanocomposites based on the copolymers of polypropylene (PP)-polystyrene (PS) and organically modified montmorillonite (org-MMT) were produced by using power ultrasonic wave in an intensive mixer. Owing to the unique action of the ultrasonic wave, free radicals of styrene monomers and macroradicals of PP were generated, by which copolymers of PP and PS were formed. Another important aspect of using ultrasonic wave during the mixing process was to enhance nano-scale dispersion of org-MMT by destructing the agglomerates of org-MMT in the polymer matrix. Optimum conditions for the in-situ copolymerization and melt intercalation were studied with various concentrations of styrene monomer, sonication time and different kinds of clay. It was found that a novel attempt carried out in this study yielded further improvement in the mechanical performance of the nanocomposites compared to those produced by the conventional melt mixing process.
- Alexandre M, Dubois P, Mater. Sci. Eng., 28, 1 (2000)
- Doh JG, Cho I, Polym. Bull., 41(5), 511 (1998)
- Price GJ, Current Trends in Sonochemistry, The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (1992)
- Schnabel W, Polymer Degradation: Principles and Practical Applications, Hanser, Munchen (1981)
- Yoo YJ, Sohn CH, Kim HS, Lee JW, Development of polypropylene-clay nanocomposite through the ultrasonic melt intercalation, Proceedings of Polymer processing Society, Asia/Australia Regional Meeting, 250 (1999)
- Yoon JT, Jo WH, Lee MS, Ko MB, Polymer, 42(1), 329 (2001)