Enhancement of the mechanical performance of poly(vinyl chloride) using poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-grafted multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) was grafted onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) using atom transfer radical polymerization. The enhancement of the mechanical performance of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) using PBMA-g-MWNTs was studied. The miscibility between PVC and PBMA enabled the homogeneous dispersion of nanotubes in the PVC matrix and improved the efficiency of load transfer from the matrix to the nanotubes. At an effective MWNTs content of 0.2 wt%, the addition of PBMA-g-MWNTs resulted in increases in storage modulus (at 35°C), Young's modulus, yield stress, tensile strength, ultimate strain and toughness of PVC by 83, 40, 74, 84, 38 and 145%, respectively. The reinforcement values based on Young's modulus and tensile strength are 387 GPa and 19.1 GPa, respectively. These values are significantly larger than those of 115 GPa and 2.3 GPa, respectively, for PVC reinforced by chlorinated polypropylene-grafted MWNTs reported by Blake et al (2006 J. Mater. Chem. 16 4206). © IOP Publishing Ltd.