THE INFLUENCE OF NANO FILLER ON THE THERMAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF PP
Abstract
In order to obtain specific properties in the commercial and engineering applications, PP
materials are often combined with additives. Filler is one of solid additive type that made of
inorganic materials and is generally distinguished by its influence on the mechanical properties
of the resulting mixture with the plastic matrix. Filler dimension less than 100 nm is often
categorized as a nano filler and added to plastics with the range of percentage from 1% up to
10%. Various studies have been conducted to know the influence of filler on mechanical
properties, but this study is also conducted to investigate the effect of nanofillers on thermal
properties of PP material. Thermal properties are very important to know from the stage of
design, processing until the end use final product. Most plastic products are made in soft or
liquid condition, the melting temperature (melting temperature, Tm) becomes the basis of the
processing parameter adjustment. Investigations done by comparing the thermal properties of
commercial copolymer PP material (virgin material and injection molding specimen) and PP
materials containing nano filler (virgin material and injection molding specimen) by using
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), while data of mechanical properties was obtained
by the tensile test. Both 1st heating and 2nd heating DSC Experiment showed that nano filled
PP need the highest endhothermic effect (2.63 W/g and 1.79 W/g), but nano filler gave no
effect on melting temperature to all type of specimens (in the range of 164.3 – 166.3 8C). The
elastic modulus of nano filled PP was around 1486 Mpa, higher than non filled PP (999 Mpa).