Experimental characterisation and object-oriented finite element modelling of polypropylene/organoclay nanocomposites

Although much research work has been conducted on the production and characterisation of polypropylene/organoclay nanocomposites, the effects of nanoscale fillers with respect to actual morphology through numerical modelling have been rarely addressed. This paper describes a unique development from fabrication and experimental characterisation to the numerical modelling of polypropylene/organoclay nanocomposites based on the real mapping of nano/microstructures. Twin screw extrusion was utilised with a two-step masterbatch compounding method to prepare such nanocomposites with organoclays (ranging between 1 and 10 wt%) and maleated polypropylene (1:1 weight ratio). The fundamental material characterisation was conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA). Overall mechanical properties were determined by tensile, flexural and impact tests. Finally, computational models were established by implementing an innovative object-oriented finite element analysis code (OOF) to predict tensile moduli of nanocomposites with good agreement with the experimental data and theoretical models.