Nanocomposites Prepared with High Density Polyethylene and Carbon Nanofibers Modified by Ethylene Plasma

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are surface‐modified by plasma polymerization using ethylene as monomer. The modified CNFs are suitable to be mixed with different polyethylenes. In this study, we mix them with high density polyethylene (HDPE). The plasma‐coated CNFs (pCNFs) are then characterized by Infrar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plasma processes and polymers 2015-05, Vol.12 (5), p.477-485
Main Authors: Neira-Velázquez, María Guadalupe, Borjas-Ramos, José Javier, Hernández-Hernández, Ernesto, Hernández-Ramos, Claudia Guadalupe, Narro-Céspedes, Rosa Idalia, Hernández-Gámez, José Francisco, Ramos de Valle, Luis Francisco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon fibers
CNFs
Coating
Dispersions
Ethylene
HDPE
High density polyethylenes
Nanocomposites
Nanofibers
Plasma
plasma polymerization
Polyethylene
Polyethylenes
Polymerization
Spectrum analysis
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Summary:Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are surface‐modified by plasma polymerization using ethylene as monomer. The modified CNFs are suitable to be mixed with different polyethylenes. In this study, we mix them with high density polyethylene (HDPE). The plasma‐coated CNFs (pCNFs) are then characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in the transmission mode (STEM). Treated and untreated CNFs are evaluated in water, chloroform, and 1,2,3‐trichlorobenzene (TCB) to evaluate their effective dispersion in these three solvents. FTIR spectra showed signals corresponding to the organic part deposited on the surface of pCNFs. The TGA analysis makes it possible to confirm that pCNFs have a higher weight loss than CNFs because of the volatilization of the plasma polymerized ethylene coating. Dispersion tests showed that pCNFs dispersed well in TCB and chloroform solvents. To prepare nanocomposites, HDPE and CNFs are mixed well in a single‐screw extruder with an attached sonication chamber at its exit. Nanocomposites containing 1% and 3% by weight of CNFs are prepared. The products are analyzed by the Young's modulus and evaluated for thermal stability. Ethylene plasma‐coated carbon nanofibers could be used to prepare polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. In this paper, nanocomposites prepared with 1% of pristine CNFs (HDPE/CNFs) present lower thermal stability than nanocomposites prepared with 1% of plasma coated CNFs (HDPE/pCNFs), the plasma coating deposited at the surface of CNFs improves the compatibility between polymer and CNFs.
ISSN:1612-8850
1612-8869
DOI:10.1002/ppap.201400065