Enhanced mechanical properties of functionalized BN nanosheets-polymer composites
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Enhanced mechanical properties of functionalized BN nanosheets‑polymer composites M. Umer Farooq1 · Rahim Jan1 · Muhammad Azeem1 · M. Adeel Umer1 · M. Aftab Akram1 · Ahmad Nawaz Khan1,2 · Imtiaz Ahmad3 · Sajjad A. Khan4 · Zeshan A. Umar5 · Usman Liaqat1 Received: 10 July 2020 / Accepted: 10 September 2020 © The Polymer Society, Taipei 2020
Abstract Liquid exfoliated, hydroxylated functionalized hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h-BNNSs-OH) are prepared for improved dispersion in polymers. Polymer nanocomposites are fabricated using (0–0.03 V f) hydroxyl (OH) functionalized and nonfunctionalized BNNSs with poly methyl methacrylate, PMMA, by solution mixing for comparative study. Mechanical properties of the composites are improved considerably. The maximum ultimate tensile strength of the functionalized BN/PMMA (0.003 Vf BN) reached to ~ 26 MPa as compared to non-functionalized composites maximum value of ~ 19 MPa while the base polymer value remained at ~ 15 MPa. The Young’s modulus enhanced as well from 1.45 GPa (PMMA) to 2.01 GPa and 2.19 GPa both for non-functionalized and functionalized composites respectively. The degree of reinforcement validated with the Halpin–Tsai Model is in close agreement for functionalized polymer nanocomposites. Structural and morphological characteristics are analyzed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively, confirming the composites formation. The lateral dimension of the synthesized nanosheets is estimated with SEM as well. Dimensional analysis of nanosheets is carried out using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The estimated thickness of functionalized hBN flakes was around 5–10 nm. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) is used to confirm the presence of functional groups on h-BN. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) is used to study the polymer and nanosheets interactions. Keywords Mechanical properties · 2D nanosheets · Modulus · Nanocomposites
Introduction
* Rahim Jan [email protected] * Usman Liaqat [email protected] 1
School of Chemical and Materials Engineering (SCME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
2
Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University, Ontario, Kingston, Canada
3
Department of Physics, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
4
Department of Statistics, Islamia College Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
5
National Centre for Physics, Quaid-I-Azam University Campus, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
The hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h-BNNSs), analogous to graphene with equal number of B and N atoms in its structure, possess a great potential to be employed as reinforcement filler in polymers [1, 2]. In some cases it has an edge over graphene due to chemical inertness, large band gap ~ 6 eV and high thermal stability [3–5]. Its comparable mechanical properties to graphene [6] may enhance the mechanical robustness of composite materials whether ceramic, metallic or polymeric. In case of polymers, the main difficult
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