Halloysite nanotubes reinforced polybutylene terephthalate based nanocomposites: mechanical, thermal, structural and morphological characterizations

Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) nanocomposites were melt-blended with two types of Turkish halloysite nanotubes (HN) using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. Naturally occurring HN samples were used to produce PBT-based composites at the HN compositions of 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% by weight. PBT was purchased as bead form under the trade name of Advanite from Sasa polyester A.Ş., Adana, Turkey. Neat and silane-modified grade of HN was supplied by Eczacıbaşı Esan, İstanbul, Turkey with the trade names of ESH HNT and ESH HNT S, respectively. Test samples were prepared by an injection molding process. Mechanical, thermo-mechanical, thermal stability, melt-flow, structural and morphological properties of the produced nanocomposites were reported using tensile, impact and shore hardness tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), melt flow rate and density measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods, respectively. Results of neat and silane coated HN containing composite samples were compared in order to investigate the interfacial adhesion between polymer matrix and reinforcement material.