Poly(Butylene Terephthalate) Filled with Sb₂O₃ Nanoparticles: Effects of Particle Surface Treatment, Particle Size, Particle Morphology and Particle Loading on Mechanical Properties of Composites

Abstract

Poor dispersion of nanoparticles in polymer matrix would limit the development and application of particulate-filled polymer composites. Therefore, the Sb₂O₃ nanoparticles were functionalized by a combination of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and silane coupling agent KH-560 via water bath modification method so as to improve the dispersion of Sb₂O₃ nanoparticles in poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) matrix and enhance the interfacial adhesion between nanoparticles and polymer matrix. Besides, the coating efficiency of compound modifiers on the surface of Sb₂O₃ nanoparticles was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Sb₂O₃ nanoparticles with different morphologies were systemically measured using transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurement. The effects of particle surface treatment, particle size, particle morphology and particle loading on mechanical properties of composites were studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile test machine and impact strength machine. The tensile strength of nanocomposites gradually increases with decreasing the particle size at the same amount of Sb₂O₃ nanoparticle fillers, which is attributed to improvement of interfacial contact area and stronger interfacial adhesion between Sb₂O₃ nanoparticles and PBT matrix. And the compound modified Sb₂O₃ nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in PBT matrix and play an important role in the properties enhancement. Moreover, taking consideration of the tensile and impact strengths, the optimal loading is 3 wt%.

Keywords:

• Composites
• nano-Sb₂O₃
• surface functionalization
• interfacial adhesion
• particle size
• mechanical property

Additional information

Funding

This investigation was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 51761025] and the Science and Technology Program Project Funds of Gansu Province of China [grant number 17CX2JD075].