Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T05:21:40.750Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Characterization of size, aspect ratio and degree of dispersion of particles in filled polymeric composites using FIB

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

Y. Zhu ,
G. C. Allen ,
J. M. Adams ,
D. Gittins ,
P. J. Heard  and
D. R. Skuse
Y. Zhu
Affiliation:
Interface AnalysisCentre, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BS, UK
G. C. Allen*
Affiliation:
Interface AnalysisCentre, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BS, UK
J. M. Adams
Affiliation:
School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UK
D. Gittins
Affiliation:
IMERYSMinerals Ltd., Par Moor Centre, St. Austell, PL24 2SQ, UK
P. J. Heard
Affiliation:
Interface AnalysisCentre, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BS, UK
D. R. Skuse
Affiliation:
IMERYSMinerals Ltd., Par Moor Centre, St. Austell, PL24 2SQ, UK
*
*E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Two types of mineral fillers, talc and mica, were compounded into polypropylene (PP) via a twin-screw extruder. The morphologies and mechanical properties of the resultant composites were investigated. The dispersion of minerals in PP was observed using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) techniques. The particle size distribution (PSD) and aspect ratio (AR) of particles in the polymer phase were obtained from FIB image analysis. It was found that FIB imaging displays directly the micron to mesoscale level dispersion of particles in polymeric composites. The technique has significant potential for characterizing such materials, having some advantages over ‘traditional’ scanning and transmission electron microscopy in terms of generating representative data in a realistic timescale. The PSD and AR distribution and degree of dispersion in the composites give insights into the modification of mechanical properties of the composites studied.

Keywords

particle dispersiontalcmicaFIBparticle-size distributionaspect ratio
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 44 , Issue 2 , June 2009 , pp. 195 - 205
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ashton, J.E., Halpin, J.C. & Petit, P.H. (1969) Primer on Composite Materials: Analysis. Technomic Publishing Comp, Stamford, California, USA.Google Scholar
Bowen, P. (2002) Particle size distribution measurement from millimeters to nanometers and from rods to platelets. Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 23, 631–662.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, C., Teng, C., Su, S., Wu, W. & Yang, C. (2006) Effects of microscale calcium carbonate and nanoscale calcium carbonate on the fusion, thermal, and mechanical characterizations of rigid poly(vinyl chloride)/calcium carbonate composites. Journal of Polymer Science: Part B: Polymer Physics, 44, 451–460.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chow, T.S. (1973) Elastic moduli of filled polymers: The effect of particle shape. Journal of Applied Physics, 48, 4072.Google Scholar
Chow, T.S. (1980) The effect of particle shape on the mechanical properties of filled polymers. Journal of Materials Science, 15, 1873–1888.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Denac, M., Smit, I. & Musil, V. (2005) Polypropylene/talc/SEBS (SEBS-g-MA) composites. Part 1. Structure. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 36, 1094–1101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Di Lorenzo, M.L., Errico, M.E. & Avella, M. (2002) Thermal and morphological characterization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/calcium carbonate nanocomposites. Journal of Materials Science, 37, 2351–2358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heard, P.J., Preston, J.S., Parsons, D.J., Cox, J. & Allen, G.C. (2004) Visualisation of the distribution of ink components in printed coated paper using focused ion beam techniques. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical Engineering Aspects, 244, 67–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobs, E.G., Ann Foster, L., Wu, Y., Wilson, A.R. & Pinizzotto, R.F. (1993) Ultramicrotomy: a unique method for preparation of composite solder for transmission electron microcopy. Materials Research Society, 8, 87–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kelly, A. (1973) Strong Solids. Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK.Google Scholar
Leong, Y.W., Abu Bakar, M.B., Mohd Ishak, Z.A., Ariffin, A. & Pukanszky, B. (2004) Comparison of the mechanical properties and interfacial interactions between talc, kaolin, and calcium carbonate filled polypropylene composites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 91, 3315–3326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, R., Wadsworth, I., Young, J. & Acheson, R. (1996) Preparation of ceramic fibre TEM cross-sections using ultramicrotomy and ion beam thinning methods. Journal of Microscopy, 184, 62–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lipatov, Y.S. (1977) Relaxation and viscoelastic properties of heterogeneous polymeric compositions. Advances in Polymer Science, 22, 1–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manson, J.A. & Sperling, L.H. (1976) Polymer Blends and Composites. Plenum Press, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nielsen, L.E. (1970) Generalized equation for the elastic moduli of composite materials. Journal of Applied Physics, 41, 4626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osman, M.A., Atallaha, A., Miillerb, M. & Suter, U.W. (2001) Reinforcement of poly(dimethylsiloxane) networks by mica flakes. Polymer, 42, 6545–6556.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ranade, A., D'Souza, N.A. & Gnade, B. (2002) Exfoliated and intercalated polyamide-imide nanocomposites with montmorillonite. Polymer, 43, 3759–3766.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rothon, R.N. (2003) Particulate-filled Polymer Composites. Rapra Technology Limited, Shropshire, UK.Google Scholar
Vollenberg, P.H.T. & Heikens, D. (1989) Particle size dependence of the Young's modulus of filled polymers: 1. Preliminary experiments. Polymer, 30, 1656–1662.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zha, W., Choi, S., Lee, K.M. & Han, C.D. (2005) Dispersion characteristics of organoclay in nanocomposites based on end-functionalized homopolymer and block copolymer. Macromolecules, 38, 8418–8429.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, J., Morgan, A.B. & Harris, J.D. (2005) Rheological characterization of polystyrene-clay nanocomposites to compare the degree of exfoliation and dispersion. Polymer, 46, 8641–8660.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhu, Y., Allen, G.C., Adams, J.M., Gittins, D., Herrero, M., Benito, P. & Heard, P.J. (2008) Dispersion characterization in layered double hydroxide/Nylon 66 nanocomposites using FIB imaging. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 108, 4108–4113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar