Processing of Polymer-based Nanocomposites (eBook)

Professor Suprakas Sinha Ray was born in 1973 in India and completed his PhD studies at the University of Calcutta in 2001, and then postdoctoral fellow at Toyota Technological Institute and Laval University studying the structure-property relationship in nanoclay-containing polymer nanocomposites. He started working on fundamental understanding to real applications of polymer-based nanostructured materials when he joined the CSIR as a group leader. These studies advanced and broadened when he appointed as a chief researcher (level II, highest SET position in CSIR) and director of the DST-CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials and growing to the present time with postdoctoral fellows, students, collaborators and industrial partners worldwide. Currently, more than 80 researchers, engineers and technologists are working with him. Prof. Ray is one of the most active and highly cited authors (his articles have been cited more than 14700 times, google scholar, h factor 44, Google/Scopus, S.S.Ray, S. Sinha Ray, S. Sinha-Ray), in the field of soft-nanostructured materials and his work has been featured on various international journal cover pages on 14 different occasions. Recently, he has been rated as a Top 1% of most impactful and influential scientists (Chemistry, Materials Science and 22 Science disciplines) by Thomson Reuters Essential Science Indicators, 2014. In 2011, he also has been rated as a Top 50 high impact chemist in the world (Feb. 2011, Thomson Reuter, probably youngest researcher in this list, 1.2 mil Chemists). So far he has given more than 30 plenary/keynote/invited presentations in various international conferences and organized/co-organized a number of international conferences. Ray is the author of 2 books, 16 book chapters on various aspects of polymer-based nano-structured materials & their applications, and author and co-author of 250 articles (including 17 review articles) in high-impact international journals, 14 articles in peer-review international conference proceedings; 30 articles in national and international conference proceedings. He also has 4 patents and 7 new demonstrated technologies shared with colleagues, collaborators and industrial partners. His team also commercialized 16 different grades of polylactide nanocomposites. Over the last 10 years, 32 PhD/Master students graduated under his direct supervision. Currently, he is serving as an Associate Editor/Editorial Board member of the RSC Advances, Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, Applied Nanoscience, Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, International Journal of Plastic Films and Sheeting, Applied Nanoscience, Journal of Nanomaterials, and Heliyon.

Preface 6
Contents 9
Contributors 12
1 Introduction to Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposite Processing 13
Abstract 13
1.1 Nanomaterials and Their Significance 13
1.2 Overview of Nanotechnology 14
1.2.1 Definitions 14
1.2.2 Nanotechnology Funding 14
1.2.3 Nanotechnology Outputs and Outcomes 15
1.3 Responsible Nanotechnology Development: Ethics, Society, Environment, and Health and Safety 17
1.4 Polymer Nanocomposites Versus Polymer Microcomposites 19
1.4.1 The “Nano-Effect” 20
1.4.2 Challenges in Polymer Nanocomposites 22
1.4.3 Scope of the Book 23
Acknowledgements 24
References 24
2 Synthesis and Functionalization of Nanomaterials 27
Abstract 27
2.1 Introduction 27
2.2 Types of Nanomaterials 29
2.2.1 Inorganic Nanomaterials 30
2.2.1.1 Metal NPs 30
2.2.1.2 Metal Oxide NPs 31
2.2.1.3 Metal Chalcogenides (MCs) 32
2.2.1.4 Organic NPs 35
2.2.2 Carbon-Based NPs 36
2.3 Classification of Nanomaterials 38
2.3.1 Dimensionality 38
2.3.2 Composition 39
2.3.3 Morphology 41
2.3.4 Agglomeration State and Uniformity 41
2.4 Synthesis of Nanomaterials 41
2.4.1 Hydrothermal Synthesis 44
2.4.2 Microemulsion Synthesis 46
2.4.3 Biosynthesis of Nanomaterials 48
2.5 Large-Scale Production of Nanomaterials 49
2.6 Functionalization of Nanomaterials 51
2.6.1 Covalent Functionalization 52
2.6.2 Noncovalent Functionalization 56
2.6.3 Intrinsic Surface Engineering: Heteroatom Incorporation and Defect Engineering 57
2.7 Nanoparticle–Polymer Composite Applications 58
2.8 Summary 60
Acknowledgements 61
References 61
3 A Brief Overview of Layered Silicates and Polymer/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite Formation 68
Abstract 68
3.1 Introduction 68
3.1.1 Structure and Properties of Pristine Layered Silicates 68
3.1.2 Structure and Properties of Organically Modified LS (OMLSs) 73
3.2 Structures of LS-Containing PNCs 80
3.3 Formation of LS-Containing PNCs 81
3.3.1 Solution Intercalation Method 81
3.3.2 In Situ Polymerization 83
3.3.3 Melt Intercalation 83
3.4 Ways of Enhancing Dispersion 89
3.5 Conclusions 94
Acknowledgements 94
References 94
4 Structural Characterization of Polymer Nanocomposites 98
Abstract 98
4.1 Introduction 98
4.2 Reciprocal Space Analysis 99
4.2.1 Small-Angle X-ray Scattering 99
4.2.1.1 Dispersion and Distribution of Nanoparticles in PNCs 99
4.2.1.2 Orientation of Dispersed Nanoparticles in Polymer Nanocomposites 108
4.2.1.3 Lamellar Crystal Thickness 110
4.2.1.4 Particle Dimension and Specific Surface Area 111
4.2.2 X-ray Diffraction 114
4.2.2.1 Dispersion Characteristics 115
4.2.2.2 Analysis of Crystal Phase 116
4.3 Analysis in Real Space 118
4.3.1 Electron Microscopy 118
4.3.2 Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy 121
4.4 Interfacial Analysis 123
4.4.1 Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) 124
4.4.2 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) 125
4.4.3 Dielectric Spectroscopy 125
4.5 Physical Effects: Rheological, Mechanical, and Barrier Properties 127
4.6 Conclusion 133
Acknowledgements 133
References 133
5 Impact of Melt-Processing Strategy on Structural and Mechanical Properties: Clay-Containing Polypropylene Nanocomposites 138
Abstract 138
5.1 Introduction 139
5.2 Materials and Methods 139
5.3 Processing Strategies and Their Effect on Nanocomposite Structural and Mechanical Properties 140
5.3.1 Protocol 1: Effect of the Processing Sequences 140
5.3.2 Protocol 2: Effect of the Screw Element Configuration Design 147
5.3.3 Protocol 3: Effect of Processing Conditions 151
5.3.4 Protocol 4: Effect of PP-g-MA Content 154
5.3.5 Protocol 5: Effect of Silicate Concentration Feed Rate and Speed Screw on Residence Time 157
5.3.5.1 The Effect of Nanoclay Content on Residence Time and Dispersion 157
5.3.5.2 The Effect of Feed Rate on Residence Time and Dispersion Using 3 wt% Inorganic Nanoclay Content 159
5.3.5.3 The Effect of Screw Speed on Residence Time and Dispersion 160
5.4 Conclusions 163
Acknowledgements 164
References 164
Index 166