Preparation And Properties Of Attapulgite Reinforced Polyethylene Matrix Composites

In this paper, nano attapulgite (ATP), montmorillonite (MMT) and inorganic materials carbon nanotubes (CNTs) which was prepared composite carrier, and load olefin polymerization catalyst component to get high performance polyethylene composite by in situ polymerization. Investigated the effects of ATP, MMT and CNTs as catalysts for ethylene polymerization characteristics, and for the mechanical properties of polyethylene composites. Explored the impact of inorganic materials on the mechanical properties, thermal properties, crystallization behavior.1. The use of magnesium chloride and attapulgite to prepare highly active compound carrier, and then load the active ingredient TiCl4, and prepared ATP/MgCl2/TiCl4, and obtained polyethylene/attapulgite nanocomposites by in-situ polymerization. When ATP: MgCl2=2:1 which has the largest polymerization activity. Through its kinetic analysis revealed that the catalysts belongs to Z-N catalyst system. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis showed that attapulgite uniformly dispersed in polyethylene matrix, and attapulgite structure has not changed and has not changed polyethylene crystalline structure that attapulgite hinder the movement of the polyethylene chain segment obviously, so PE crystal growth is blocked. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) found ethylene polymerization process copy ATP structure. When the content of nano-inorganic materials ATP 0.0133wt.% in polyethylene matrix, and the yield strength composites, tensile strength, elongation at break, tensile modulus, flexural strength, impact strength than pure mechanical properties of polyethylene increase approximately 5.83%,50%,13.5%, 18.75%,12.6% and 15%, respectively. TGA tests showed that when ATP in a polyethylene matrix content of 0.0133wt.%, and Its maximum weight loss temperature of the material increase 2.5℃ than that of pure polyethylene.2. We prepared ATP/MMT/MgCl2/TiCl4 catalyst, and by in-situ polymerization method to produced polyethylene/attapulgite/montmorillonite nanocomposites. By FTIR, WAXD, TEM and Raman spectroscopy to characterize the structure of the products that found attapulgite and montmorillonite are uniformly dispersed in polyethylene matrix, and attapulgite crystal structure has not changed, but the structure of montmorillonite interlayer spacing increases, and its nano-size sheets dispersed in the polymer; and attapulgite and montmorillonite affected the polyethylene crystallization behavior. SEM found that ethylene polymerization process copy structure of ATP and MMT. When ATP:MMT=1:1, the nano-inorganic material content of 0.015wt% in polyethylene matrix, and the yield strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, impact strength than pure polyethylene increase 5%,57%,22%,14%, respectively. The mechanical properties of polyethylene/ attapulgite/montmorillonite nanocomposites compared to the single-dimensional composites and pure polyethylene significantly improved. TGA tests showed that compared with the thermal stability of polyethylene resin material, and the maximum decomposition temperature of composite material increased 9.56℃.3. Obtain ATP/CNTs/MgCl2/TiCl4 catalyst to prepared polyethylene/attapulgite/ montmorillonite nanocomposites by in situ polymerization. By FTIR, WAXD, SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopy to characterize the structure of the polymer composites that found attapulgite and carbon nanotubes dispersed in polyethylene, the crystal structure of carbon nanotubes and attapulgite has not changed, and they are nano-size dispersion in polyethylene matrix, attapulgite and carbon nanotubes influence polyetylene crystallization behavior. SEM found composites copy attapulgite structure and structure of carbon nanotubes during the polymerization of ethylene. By adjusting the number of catalyst found that when attapulgite mass ratio of 7:1, and inorganic material component content are 0.0124wt% in the catalytic polymerization, and nanocomposites yield strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, impact strength properties compared to the pure polyethylene which were increased by 2.5%,65%,14.3%,20.2%, respectively. TGA analysis showed that compared with the thermal stability of the polyethylene resin, when the content of inorganic nanomaterials at 0.01-0.02 wt%, and the maximum rate of decomposition of the corresponding temperature increase 7.48℃.