Effect of Poly(Acrylic acid) on mechanical, morphology properties, X-Ray diffraction and water absorption of Nanoclay filled low density Polyethylene composites

Abstract

Effects of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) of nanoclay filled low density polyethylene (LDPE) composite on mechanical and characterization were studied using Universal Testing Machine (UTM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and water absorption test respectively. The LDPE/nanoclay composite were produce using the melt compounding technique in an internal Z-blade mixer at 180°C and 50 rpm of rotor speed. The mechanical results indicates at 2.5 phr and 5.0 phr of nanoclay loading with and without PAA shows better tensile strength to the composite compare to other composition. The X-ray diffraction study shows the d-spacing value for LDPE/nanoclay 2.5 phr and 5.0 phr composites are 4.043 Å and 4.163 Å, while the d-spacing value for LDPE/nanoclay 2.5 phr and 5.0 phr composites with the present of PAA are 4.035 Å and 4.147 Å respectively. These enhanced properties are due to the homogenous dispersion of nanoclay in LDPE matrix, which are evidenced from morphology study of tensile break surface by SEM. The water absorption test for LDPE/nanoclay composite without PAA shows a better water resistance compare with the LDPE/nanoclay composite with PAA. The presence of PAA in the polymer matrix composite (PMC) is seen to increase the homogenous dispersion due to the existed of polar and nonpolar group in the PAA but decrease the water resistance value for the composite.