Experimental study on the mechanical properties of polyamide 6 /glass fiber/CaCO3 hybrid Nano-composites

Experimental study on the mechanical properties of polyamide 6 /glass fiber/CaCO3 hybrid Nano-composites

Polyamide (PA) is accounted as an engineering thermoplastic and possesses semi-crystalline structure. PA has good heat and abrasion resistance properties and shows appropriate general performances. However, polyamide suffers from high moisture absorption, poor dimensional stability and low impact resistance. Glass fiber is low cost and often used to improve stiffness and tensile properties of PA. On the other hand, inclusion of high percentage of glass fibers into PA composites has disadvantages such as non-isotropic shrinkage, melt flow reduction and more abrasion of molding equipment. In this research, the mechanical properties of polyamide 6 - glass fiber - CaCO3 Nano-composites were investigated. Glass fiber was incorporated at level of 10 wt%. Calcium carbonate nanoparticles are applied because of its semi-spherical shape, nucleating and lubrication effects. PA6/GF/CaCO3 hybrid Nano-composites with 2, 4, 6, weight percent concentrations of nano-CaCO3 were prepared by incorporating twin screw extruder and injection molding machines. In this research, flexural properties, izod impact strength and microstructure of the Nano-composites were studied by using scanning electron microscopy. The SEM images confirmed nanoparticle agglomeration in high percentages (6 part per hundred compound) of nano-CaCO3. The inclusion of both nano-CaCO3 and fiber glass reinforcement led to the increase of strength and flexural modulus. The maximum flexural strength in PA6/GF/4C blend was 66% greater than of pure PA6. In the presence of nanoparticles, the impact strength of pure PA6 and PA6/GF blend decreased. Whereas the addition of 10 %wt glass fiber into pure PA led to the increase of notch-izod impact strength.