A Study on Processing-Structure-Property Relationships of Extruded Carbon Nanomaterial-Polypropylene Composite Films

ABSTRACT: Polypropylene films reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and exfoliated graphite nanoplateletswere fabricated by extrusion, and the effects of filler type and take-up speed on the mechanical properties andmicrostructure of composite films were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that the addition ofcarbon nanomaterials resulted in increased degree of crystallinity. However, increasing the take-up speed reduced thedegree of crystallinity, which indicates that tension-induced orientations of polymer chains and carbon nanomaterialsand the loss of degree of crystallinity due to rapid cooling at high take-up speeds act as competing mechanisms.These observations were in good agreement with tensile properties, which are governed by the degree of crystallinity,where the C-grade exfoliated graphite nanoplatelet with a surface area of 750 m 2 /g showed the greatest reinforcingeffect among all types of carbon nanomaterials used. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to observe thecarbon nanomaterial dispersion and orientation, respectively.초록