NANO-CLAY ENHANCED INJECTION MOLDED PRODUCTS S.Kenig & M.Omer

1. NANO-CLAY ENHANCED INJECTION MOLDED PRODUCTSS.Kenig & M.Omer The 2ndConference on NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE PLASTICS & RUBBER INDUSTRIES February 5, 2007

2. INTRODUCTION • Nano Clays (Montmorillonite) are layered Alumino-Silicates bound together by Na+ ions. • In nature they form a closed structure • To be useful the closed structure has to be delaminated (exfoliated). • When effectively exfoliated the single layer is 1 nm thick and has a surface area of 1µm x 1µm. • The surface area of exfoliated Nano Clays is 700 m2/gr.

3. INTRODUCTION • Commercially available NC are treated with quaternary ammonium ions having an organic tail (organo clays) • Homogeneous dispersion of NC is enhanced by optimization of processing conditions

5. INJECTION MOLDINGFLOW AND THERMAL PROFILES Spreading radial flow Fountain flow Non-isothermal flow

6. OBJECTIVES TO STUDY • The effect of shear and elongational flows on the orientation of nanoclays • The effect of nanoclays on the mechanical properties of injection molded products

7. INTRODUCTION • When exfoliated nanoclays platelets possess high aspect ratio >1:500 • thickness of: 1 nm • lateral dimensions: 500x500 nm • The orientation of high aspect ratio particles is affected by the flow field – elongational and/or shear

8. ELONGATIONAL FLOW C1~ aspect ratio

9. SHEAR FLOW

10. EXPERIMENTAL directions Molded sample Melt front advancement

11. DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS

12. EXPERIMENTAL • Materials • Nylon 6 • Nylon 12 • Nanoclays 5% Cloisite 30B (hydroxyl terminated)

13. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONTENSILE FD PA 6 PA 6 neat Cat 85 15 PA 6/NC

14. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONTENSILE TD PA 6 PA 6 neat PA 6/NC

15. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONFLEXURAL FD PA 6 PA 6 neat Cat 105 2500 PA 6/NC

16. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONFLEXURAL TD PA 6 PA 6 neat PA 6/NC

17. NYLON 6 / NANOCLAYS

18. RESULTS &DISCUSSIONTENSILE FD - PA 12 Cat 30 200

19. RESULTS &DISCUSSIONTENSILE TD – PA 12

20. RESULTS &DISCUSSIONFLEXURAL FD - PA 6 Cat 25 450

21. RESULTS &DISCUSSIONFLEXURAL TD – PA12

22. COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONMELT FRONT ADVANCEMENT - PA 6

23. COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONORIENTAION OF NANOCLAYS – PA 6 CORE SKIN

24. COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONORIENTAION OF NANOCLAYS – PA 6 ANISOTROPY LEVEL TD FD

25. COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONMELT FRONT ADVANCEMENT - PA 12

26. COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONORIENTAION OF NANOCLAYS – PA 12 SKIN

27. COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONORIENTAION OF NANOCLAYS – PA 12 ANISOTROPY LEVEL FD TD

28. CONCLUSIONS • Large differences in mechanical properties along and across square sample • Properties of NC containing polymers are highly dependent on processing conditions due to the high aspect ratio of the NC • MD properties are higher compared to TD properties • Computational analysis are in good agreement with experimental tensile moduli measurements • Anisotropy obtained from computational analysis is similar to the anisotropy obtained from experimental measurements

29. THANK YOUSEE YOU NEXT YEARFebruary 4, 2008