Nano-talc reinforced PP composites. Final properties improvement through interfacial modification

LUCIANA CASTILLO; SILVIA BARBOSA; NUMA CAPIATI

San Sebastián, España

Conferencia; V International Conference on Science and Technology of Composite Materials y 8° Congreso Nacional de Materiales Compuestos (COMAT 2009); 2009

Asociación Española de Materiales Compuestos

The gas barrier and mechanical properties in two series of polypropylene (PP)/talc composites were studied. These composites were prepared in a laboratory batch mixer: PP/untreated talc and PP/treated talc. Different mineral concentrations of untreated talc and treated talc were used, from 0 up to 5%. The barrier properties were analyzed in terms of water vapor permeability while mechanical ones, through the elastic modulus, elongation at break and strength. The influence of talc concentration and superficial treatment on these film properties was studied. The increase of talc content gives a reduction in water vapor permeability without losing ductility. The talc treatment changes either the particle size or the particle surface energy and has a marked influence on the behavior of the composites properties. The barrier properties obtained with the incorporation of 1 wt% of treated talc are similar to those obtained with 5 wt% of untreated one. Thus, the elongation at break of pure PP is reduced in 30% in the first case while it decreased in a 46% in the case of composites with 5% of untreated talc.