Dynamic rheology and morphology of HDPE‐fumed silica composites: Effect of interface modification. Issue 3 (28th August 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nandi, Sangita; Bose, Sanjukta; Mitra, Susanta; Ghosh, Anup K.
• Is Part Of: Polymer engineering & science. Volume 53:Issue 3(2013:Mar.)
• Page Start: 644
• Page End: 650
• Publication Date: 2012-08-28
• Subjects: Polymer engineering -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.23299
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3888

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>In the present study, high density polyethylene (HDPE)‐based composites containing different amounts of fumed silica (FS) were prepared by melt compounding in a corotating twin screw extruder. Polyethylene‐<italic>g</italic>‐maleic anhydride copolymer (PE‐<italic>g</italic>‐MA) containing 1 wt% maleic anhydride was used for interface modification between filler and polymer. The interaction between the surface hydroxyl groups of fumed silica nanoparticles with maleic anhydride groups of PE‐<italic>g</italic>‐MA led to a finer dispersion of the filler in the HDPE matrix. The terminal complex viscosity and terminal storage modulus were highest at 1 wt% filler loading due to widely spread network formation by FS nanoparticles. This filler network plausibly got disturbed at higher filler content and/or interface modification which was reflected in their stress relaxation behavior also. The dynamic rheological behavior of the composites was explained in terms of morphological observations. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers</p> </abstract>