Effect of multistage sonication on dispersive mixing of polymer nanocomposites characterized via shear-induced crystallization behavior

Jayadurga Iyer Ganapathi, Dilhan M. Kalyon, Frank T. Fisher

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

While nanoparticle dispersion is necessary to achieve optimal properties, it has long been recognized as a major technological hurdle for polymer nanocomposites. Here, a systematic study incorporated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polycaprolactone (PCL) using a multi-stage sonication process, with Stage 1 sonication of CNT/solvent followed by Stage 2 sonication of the pre-processed CNT/solvent with the dissolved polymer. Conventional dispersion characterization techniques were complemented with analysis of the shear-induced crystallization (SIC) behavior of the semicrystalline nanocomposite, which was found to be particularly sensitive to the state of nanoparticle dispersion. While Stage 1 sonication was found to have a pronounced effect on the nanoparticle dispersion as characterized via SIC and thermal characterization, the impact of Stage 2 sonication on the level of nanoparticle dispersion was much smaller. Such results demonstrate the utility of characterization of the shear-induced crystallization behavior as a means to analyze nanoparticle dispersion in semicrystalline polymer nanocomposites.

Original languageEnglish
Article number44681
JournalJournal of Applied Polymer Science
Volume134
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - 10 Apr 2017

Keywords

  • crystallization
  • rheology
  • synthesis and processing techniques
  • thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)

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