Nylon 6/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites: Effect of the melt‐compounding conditions and nanotube content on the morphology, mechanical properties, and rheology

The effect of the melt-compounding conditions with the use of a corotating intermeshing twin-screw extruder and of the nanotube content on the morphology and the mechanical and rheological properties of nylon 6/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites was investigated. The melt-compounding conditions affected the morphology, but the variations in the morphology did not necessarily result in substantial variations in the mechanical and rheological properties. The mass throughput had the strongest influence on the mechanical properties, whereas the MWCNT feeding substantially affected the rheology. The increase in the MWCNT volume content from 0.0 to 3.5 vol % led to an increase in the Young's modulus, whereas the tensile strength, elongation at break, and notched impact strength exhibited maximum values around 0.5 to 1.0 vol %. With increasing MWCNT volume contents, higher complex viscosities and storage and loss moduli and a lower loss factor compared to neat nylon 6 were observed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40893.