Mechanical and permeation properties of HDPE/organoclay composites with improved petroleum swelling behaviour

PETTARÍN, VALERIA; FASCE, LAURA; MOSCHIAR, STELLA; RODRIGUEZ PITA, VICTOR; LOPES DIAS, MARCOS; FRONTINI, PATRICIA

Buenos Aires

Conferencia; Conference on Science and Technology of Composite Materials, COMAT 2005; 2005

UNMdP

The objective of this work was to evaluate the aptitude of HDPE/clay nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding as materials for fuel storage and transportation. Two grades of high-density polyethylene were used as matrixes: a blow grade (PEA), and a pipe grade (PEB) polyethylene. Two different Na+-montmorillonites  were modified with a quaternary alkyl ammonium salt in order to obtain organoclays. A commercial ethylene/methacrilic acid copolymer (EMA) was added as a compatibilizer. it can be concluded that the presence of clay layers in a HDPE matrix reduces the diffusion coefficient, and the gasoline sorption, the best performance achieved by composites with compatibilizer, whereas D is marginally influenced by the type of clay employed. The clay microlayers act as platelet-type reinforcements in HDPE. This reinforcing effect is manifested in increased stiffness and strength at simultaneously reduced ductility for nanocomposites. Exactly the opposite tendency is observed for the nanocomposites after storage in gasoline, which is attributed to the plasticizing effect of the gasoline.