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Effect of maleic anhydride and oxygen functionalized carbon nanotube on polyamide 6 and polypropylene blend properties

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Abstract

This work aims to investigate how adding functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to a Polyamide 6/polypropylene blend influences its properties. CNT functionalization was carried on through plasma with oxygen (CNT_O2) or maleic anhydride (CNT_MA). CNT_O2 presented the highest amount of oxygen, but, as the treatment time in plasma was twice as long as that of the CNT_MA sample, the oxygenated groups, for the most part, tended to formed lactones. On the other hand, plasma treatment with maleic anhydride was more efficient to insert carboxylic groups onto the CNT surface. Adding non-functionalized CNT in the blend, an elongation of PP phase was observed. In the functionalized CNT nanocomposites, a significant decrease in phase size was observed. No improvement in adhesion between phases was observed. Crystallinity degree decreased when non-functionalized CNT was added and increased with functionalized CNT. Despite the greater interaction between amorphous and crystalline regions observed in nanocomposites with CNT_O2, the highest values of storage module came from CNT_MA nanocomposite. The COOH groups on the CNT surface reacted with the polyamide, improving tension transfer between phases and leading to a better performance in blend mechanical properties.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partly financed by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001. The authors would like to thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina/Programa de Apoio à Pesquisa (FAPESC/PAP) for the financial resources.

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  1. Centro de Ciências Tecnológicas, Universidade Do Estado de Santa Catariana (UDESC), Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Janara A. Rocha, Teresa T. Steffen, Luis C. Fontana & Daniela Becker

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  1. Janara A. Rocha
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Correspondence to Daniela Becker.

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Rocha, J.A., Steffen, T.T., Fontana, L.C. et al. Effect of maleic anhydride and oxygen functionalized carbon nanotube on polyamide 6 and polypropylene blend properties. Polym. Bull. 78, 5623–5639 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-020-03394-y

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