Filler particle dispersion

Fig. 5. Idealised view of the way that filler particles disperse and of the different particle types that might be encountered. (Reproduced from [3] with the permission of Addison Wesley Longman Ltd)...

Huda et al. [31] evaluated the flexural and impact properties of PLA/recycled newspaper cellulose fiber (RNCF 30 wt%)/talc (10 wt%]. The flexural and impact strength of these hybrid composites were reported to be significantly higher than that made from either PLA or RNCF. The hybrid composites showed improved flexural strength of 132 MPa and flexural modulus of 15.3 GPa, while the unhybridized PLA-/RNCF-based composites exhibited flexural strength and modulus values of 77 MPa and 6.7 GPa, respectively. SEM micrographs of the fracture surface of notched izod impact specimen of 10 wt% talc-filled PLA/RNCF composites showed good filler particle dispersion in the matrix. 

Dispersion Processing. A commercial aqueous dispersion of Teflon PEA 335 contains more than 50 wt % PEA particles, about 5 wt % surfactants and fillers. This dispersion is processed by the same technique as for PTEE dispersion. It is used for coating various surfaces, including metal, glass, and glass fabrics. A thin layer of Teflon PEA coating can also serve as an adhesive layer for PTEE topcoat. 

An example of a practical dielec trofilter which uses both of the features described, namely, sharp electrodes and dielectric field-warping filler materials, is that described in Fig. 22-34 [H. I. Hall and R. F. Brown, Lubric. Eng., 22, 488 (1966)]) It is intended for use with hydrauhc fluids, fuel oils, lubricating oils, transformer oils, lubricants, and various refineiy streams. Performance data are cited in Fig. 22-35. It must be remarked that in the opinion of Hall and Brown the action of the dielec trofilter was electrostatic and due to free charge on the particles dispersed in the hquids. It is the present authors opinion, however, that both elec trophoresis and dielectrophoresis are operative here but that the dominant mechanism is that of DEP, in wdiich neutral particles are polarized and attracted to the regions of highest field intensity. 

Zinc salt of maleated EPDM rubber in the presence of stearic acid and zinc stearate behaves as a thermoplastic elastomer, which can be reinforced by the incorporation of precipitated silica filler. It is believed that besides the dispersive type of forces operative in the interaction between the backbone chains and the filler particles, the ionic domains in the polymer interact strongly with the polar sites on the filler surface through formation of hydrogen bonded structures. 

According to the concepts, given in the paper [7], a significant difference between the values of yield stress of equiconcentrated dispersions of mono- and polydisperse polymers and the effect of molecular weight of monodisperse polymers on the value of yield stress is connected with the specific adsorption on the surface of filler particles of shorter molecules, so that for polydisperse polymers (irrespective of their average molecular weight) this is the layer of the same molecules. At the same time, upon a transition to a number of monodisperse polymers, properties of the adsorption layer become different. 

It follows from general considerations that the role of the shape of the filler particles during net-formation must be very significant. Thus, it is well-known that the transition from spherical particles to rod-like ones in homogeneous systems results in such radical structural effect as the formation of liquid-crystal phase. Something like that must be observed in disperse systems. 

Generally speaking, to obtain, reliable rheological characteristics of disperse systems with fibre-like filler turned out to be a difficult methodological problem. Therefore, the question on the effect of the shape of a filler particles on the value of yield stress is left open at present. In the papers published we can encounter only individual examples and qualitative considerations concerning this question, which do not enable us to formulate general conclusions. 

Modification of filler s surface by active media leads to the same strong variation in viscosity. We can point out as an example the results of work [8], in which the values of the viscosity of dispersions of CaC03 in polystyrene melt were compared. For q> = 0.3 and the diameter of particles equal to 0.07 nm a treatment of the filler s surface by stearic acid caused a decrease in viscosity in the region of low shear rates as compared to the viscosity of nontreated particles more than by ten times. This very strong result, however, should not possibly be understood only from the point of view of viscometric measurements. The point is that, as stated above, a treatment of the filler particles affects its ability to netformation. Therefore for one and the same conditions of measuring viscosity, the dispersions being compared are not in equivalent positions with respect to yield stress. Thus, their viscosities become different. 

A representative measure of rubbery elasticity of a material may be two quantities dimensionless ratio (ct/t) and characteristic relaxation time 9 = ct/2ty. According to the data of works [37, 38] when fibers are introduced into a melt, ct/t increases (i.e. normal stresses grow faster than stresses) and 0 also increases on a large scale, by 102-103 times. However, discussing in this relation the papers published earlier, we noted in the paper cited that the data were published according to which if fibers were used as a filler (as in work [37]), 9 indeed increased [39], but if a filler represented disperse particles of the type Ti02 or CaC03, the value of 0 decreased [40],... 

Wet out solid substrates. Act as a functional additive at the polymer/air interface, e.g. filler particle surfaces, and help their uniform dispersion in a polymer matrix without agglomeration. 

Monte Carlo computer simulations were also carried out on filled networks [50,61-63] in an attempt to obtain a better molecular interpretation of how such dispersed fillers reinforce elastomeric materials. The approach taken enabled estimation of the effect of the excluded volume of the filler particles on the network chains and on the elastic properties of the networks. In the first step, distribution functions for the end-to-end vectors of the chains were obtained by applying Monte Carlo methods to rotational isomeric state representations of the chains [64], Conformations of chains that overlapped with any filler particle during the simulation were rejected. The resulting perturbed distributions were then used in the three-chain elasticity model [16] to obtain the desired stress-strain isotherms in elongation. 

Oils of the three types are offered in a range of viscosities and this will influence their processing character to some extent, although there is little evidence that it will have much influence on the ultimate compound physical properties, at least in natural rubber compounds. The small additions of oil to a compound help with filler dispersion by lubricating the polymer molecular chains and thus increasing their mobility. There will also be some wetting out of the filler particles which enables them to achieve earlier compatibility with the rubber and improve their distribution and dispersion speed. 

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