TITLE:
High-Density Polyethylene Based on Exfoliated Graphite Nanoplatelets/Nano-Magnesium Oxide: An Investigation of Thermal Properties and Morphology
AUTHORS:
A. I. Alateyah
KEYWORDS:
High-Density Polyethylene, Exfoliated Graphite Nanoplatelets, Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles, TGA, XRD, SEM
JOURNAL NAME:
Materials Sciences and Applications,
Vol.10 No.3,
March
11,
2019
ABSTRACT: In this study, high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/exfoliated graphite nanoplatelet (xGnP) composites reinforced with a 2 wt.% concentration of nano-magnesia (n-MgO) were fabricated using an injection moulding machine. The thermal properties and morphological structures of the composites were investigated. The XRD results showed the peaks of xGnP and n-MgO, where the intensity of the xGnP peaks became stronger with adding increasing amounts of xGnP into the polymermatrix. In terms of morphology, some agglomeration of particles was observed within the matrix, and the agglomeration decreased the thermal properties of the composites. The nanocomposites showed less thermal stability than the pristine polymer. The reduction in the onset temperature compared to that of neat HDPE was attributed to less adhesion between the fillers and the matrix. In addition, the crystallinity was reduced by the addition of fillers.