Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite Tapes
In this research, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was melt-mixed with sepiolite nanoclays in a twin-screw extruder. In a subsequent step, the extruded films were drawn in the solid state to highly oriented nanocomposite films or tapes. A twin-screw extruder equipped with a Sultzer mixer for improved mixi...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-11-01
|
| Series: | Fibers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/8/11/70 |
| _version_ | 1797547666992791552 |
|---|---|
| author | Maria Eriksson Han Goossens Ton Peijs |
| author_facet | Maria Eriksson Han Goossens Ton Peijs |
| author_sort | Maria Eriksson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this research, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was melt-mixed with sepiolite nanoclays in a twin-screw extruder. In a subsequent step, the extruded films were drawn in the solid state to highly oriented nanocomposite films or tapes. A twin-screw extruder equipped with a Sultzer mixer for improved mixing in combination with a bench top drawing unit was used to prepare oriented nanocomposite tapes of different sepiolite loading and draw ratios. In order to study the influence of the solidification step on the drawability of the materials, different cooling procedures were applied prior to drawing. Optical microscopy images showed that slow or fast solidification using different chill rolls settings (open or closed) for the cast films resulted in different morphological conditions for subsequent drawing. The addition of sepiolite nanofillers led to nucleation and faster crystallization kinetics and oriented tapes which deformed by homogenous deformation rather than necking. The addition of sepiolite significantly improved the mechanical properties of both undrawn and drawn PCL tapes and Young’s modulus (1.5 GPa) and tensile strength (360 MPa) for composites based on 4 wt% sepiolite were among the highest ever reported for PCL nanocomposites. Interestingly, samples cooled with open chill rolls (slow crystallization) showed the highest modulus while solidification with closed rolls (fast crystallization) showed the highest tensile strength after drawing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:47:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb88caef93ca47e9a88a0c651ef167f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6439 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:47:21Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fibers |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb88caef93ca47e9a88a0c651ef167f92023-11-20T21:16:40ZengMDPI AGFibers2079-64392020-11-018117010.3390/fib8110070Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite TapesMaria Eriksson0Han Goossens1Ton Peijs2Laboratory of Polymer Materials, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The NetherlandsLaboratory of Polymer Materials, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The NetherlandsWMG, Materials Engineering Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKIn this research, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was melt-mixed with sepiolite nanoclays in a twin-screw extruder. In a subsequent step, the extruded films were drawn in the solid state to highly oriented nanocomposite films or tapes. A twin-screw extruder equipped with a Sultzer mixer for improved mixing in combination with a bench top drawing unit was used to prepare oriented nanocomposite tapes of different sepiolite loading and draw ratios. In order to study the influence of the solidification step on the drawability of the materials, different cooling procedures were applied prior to drawing. Optical microscopy images showed that slow or fast solidification using different chill rolls settings (open or closed) for the cast films resulted in different morphological conditions for subsequent drawing. The addition of sepiolite nanofillers led to nucleation and faster crystallization kinetics and oriented tapes which deformed by homogenous deformation rather than necking. The addition of sepiolite significantly improved the mechanical properties of both undrawn and drawn PCL tapes and Young’s modulus (1.5 GPa) and tensile strength (360 MPa) for composites based on 4 wt% sepiolite were among the highest ever reported for PCL nanocomposites. Interestingly, samples cooled with open chill rolls (slow crystallization) showed the highest modulus while solidification with closed rolls (fast crystallization) showed the highest tensile strength after drawing.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/8/11/70nanocompositespoly(ε-caprolactone)fiberssepiolitedrawingorientation |
| spellingShingle | Maria Eriksson Han Goossens Ton Peijs Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite Tapes Fibers nanocomposites poly(ε-caprolactone) fibers sepiolite drawing orientation |
| title | Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite Tapes |
| title_full | Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite Tapes |
| title_fullStr | Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite Tapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite Tapes |
| title_short | Influence of the Solidification Process on the Mechanical Properties of Solid-State Drawn PCL/Sepiolite Nanocomposite Tapes |
| title_sort | influence of the solidification process on the mechanical properties of solid state drawn pcl sepiolite nanocomposite tapes |
| topic | nanocomposites poly(ε-caprolactone) fibers sepiolite drawing orientation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/8/11/70 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariaeriksson influenceofthesolidificationprocessonthemechanicalpropertiesofsolidstatedrawnpclsepiolitenanocompositetapes AT hangoossens influenceofthesolidificationprocessonthemechanicalpropertiesofsolidstatedrawnpclsepiolitenanocompositetapes AT tonpeijs influenceofthesolidificationprocessonthemechanicalpropertiesofsolidstatedrawnpclsepiolitenanocompositetapes |