Property Tailored Thermoplastic Nanocomposites via Suspension-Assisted Melt Compounding

Project summary

Thermoplastic nanocomposites containing different nanofillers are preferentially produced by melt compounding and possess outstanding mechanical performance except toughness. This project is devoted to develop a novel extrusion melt-compounding method to manufacture tough nanocomposites by introducing both the toughener and reinforcement in suspensions. Toughening occurs via dispersion of “preformed” rubber particles from latex systems. As nanoscale reinforcements water swellable (layered silicates) and dispersible additives (boehmite, cellulose) will be mostly used. The carrier (water and other fluids) of the above additives will be evaporated during extrusion. The use such suspension media for the nanofillers which remain in the polymer and act as plasticizer later on, will also be followed (e.g. thermoplastic starch). Property tailoring targets simultaneously enhanced stiffness, strength and toughness properties. This goal will be achieved by varying the type and amount of the nanofillers and tougheners. As matrices of the nanocomposites only semicrystalline polymers, viz. polyamide, polypropylene, starch and polylactic acid, and their blends will serve. The structure-property relationships of the nanocomposites, produced by compression and injection molding after melt compounding, will be studied by state-of-art techniques.

Project-related publications

1. 
   Lendvai L., Sajó I., Karger-Kocsis J.: Effect of Storage Time on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Starch/Bentonite Nanocomposites. Starch/Stärke, 71, 1800123/1-1800123/8 (2019) 10.1002/star.201800123 IF=2.226 Q2
2. 
   Berki P., Khang D. Q., Tung N. T., Hai L. N., Czigány T., Karger-Kocsis J.: Natural rubber/boehmite nanocomposites via latex compounding. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 426, 012006/1-012006/1-8 (2018) 10.1088/1757-899X/426/1/012006
3. 
   Drakopoulos S. X., Karger-Kocsis J., Kmetty Á., Lendvai L., Psarras G. C.: Thermoplastic starch modified with microfibrillated cellulose and natural rubber latex: A broadband dielectric spectroscopy study. Carbohydrate Polymers, 157, 711-718 (2017) 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.10.036 IF=5.158 D1
4. 
   Lendvai L., Kmetty Á., Karger-Kocsis J.: Preparation and properties of thermoplastic starch/bentonite nanocomposites. Materials Science Forum, 885, 129-134 (2017) 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.885.129
5. 
   Lendvai L., Karger-Kocsis J., Kmetty Á., Drakopoulos X. S.: Production and characterization of microfibrillated cellulose-reinforced thermoplastic starch composites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 133, 42397/1-42397/ (2016) 10.1002/app.42397 IF=1.86 Q2
6. 
   Kmetty A., Karger-Kocsis J., Czigany T.: Production and properties of micro-cellulose reinforced thermoplastic starch. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 74, 012008/1-012008/ (2015) 10.1088/1757-899X/74/1/012008
7. 
   Karger-Kocsis J., Kmetty Á., Lendvai L., Drakopoulos S. X., Bárány T.: Water-Assisted Production of Thermoplastic Nanocomposites: A Review. Materials, 8, 72-95 (2015) 10.3390/ma8010072 IF=2.728 Q1