Manipulation of nanofiller and polymer structures by using equal channel angular extrusion

Abstract

This study examined how an equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) process manipulates the structural parameters of nanoclay and polymer in polyamide-6/clay nanocomposites. The ECAE process alters the aspect ratio and the orientation of the nanoclay, as well as the crystalline structures of polyamide-6. After processing the one-pass ECAE (A1), the nanoclays were shortened, well-aligned and closely packed, and the crystalline lamellae were compressed and diagonally well oriented. The two-pass ECAE process with a 180A degrees rotation between passes (C2), however, leads to a random dispersion of nanoclay particles, and the recovery of the packed nanoclay interlayer spacing and the compressed lamellar long period.