Thermal, dynamic mechanical, and creep behavior of carbon nanotube reinforced ASA/Na-ionomer blend

• Published in: Polymers for advanced technologies 2015-10, Vol.26 (10), p.1294-1301
• Main Authors: Datta, Pulak, Guha, Chandan, Sarkhel, Gautam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blends; Carbon nanotubes; creep; Creep (materials); Differential scanning calorimetry; differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA); Multi wall carbon nanotubes; Nanocomposites; Nanostructure; Recovery; thermogravimetric analysis (TGA); Trends
• ISSN: 1042-7147; 1099-1581
• DOI: 10.1002/pat.3567

The present manuscript is aimed at the development of the protective layer for metal components for outdoor applications such as telecommunication components. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes at varying weight (from 0.5% to 5.0% by weight) were incorporated into newly developed 50/50 blend of acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) and ethylene acrylic acid‐based Na‐ionomer blend. ASA has inherent weather‐resistant property whereas Na‐ionomer has high affinity to adhere metal components. Nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending technique and were evaluated for thermal properties (thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry), dynamic mechanical analysis, and creep as well as recovery properties. Up to 1% nanotube content, there were predominant polymer/nanotube interactions; further addition resulted in nanotube networks formation that reduced polymer/nanotube interactions. These interactions increased both the thermal stability and storage modulus till 1% nanotube concentration, and after that, decreasing trend is observed. The creep deformation, as well as recovery, shows the opposite trend. In addition, the nanotube/nanotube sliding above 1% nanotube content increased the creep deformation further. The higher temperature played an altogether different role during recovery of the nanocomposite. The different polymer chain parts of the “brush” type ASA/Na‐ionomer blend interacted differently with carbon nanotubes; the ionic aggregates peak position of Na‐ionomer in differential scanning calorimetry thermogram was influenced by multiwalled carbon nanotubes, but the endotherm peak due to polyethylene crystallites of Na‐ionomer was unaffected. Carbon nanotubes also affected the glass transition temperature of polystyrene acrylonitrile matrix of ASA. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.