Effect of ion exchange treatment on dynamic compression properties of polypropylene/muscovite-layered silicate composites

Abstract

Filler treatment is one of the recognized methods that can be implemented to improve the mechanical properties of composite materials. However, no research has examined this particular issue from the dynamic perspective. Hence in this study, both untreated and treated polypropylene (PP)/muscovite (M)-layered silicate composites were tested under static and dynamic loadings of up to 1100 s−1, using a universal testing machine and split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus, respectively. M particles were treated with lithium nitrate and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a surfactant, through an ion exchange treatment. This treatment process was successfully proven, using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy analyses. Results show that the treated PP/M specimens with a fine state of dispersion level show better mechanical performances under a wide range of strain rates that were investigated, when compared with the untreated PP/M specimens. In addition, the mechanical properties of both the tested PP/M-layered silicate composites also show great dependency on the strain rate applied, where yield stress, compression modulus, ultimate compressive strength, and absorbed energy steadily increased when the strain rate was increased. However, the yield strain shows a contrary trend. Postdamage analyses were found to be consistent with the mechanical results for both tested specimens.