Thermal Properties and Crystallization Behavior of Bamboo Fiber/High-Density Polyethylene Composites: Nano-TiO2 Effects

In this study, bamboo fiber/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were prepared, and the effects of nano-TiO2 on their thermal properties and crystallization behavior were investigated via thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the addition of nano-TiO2 improved the thermal stability and had a dual function in the crystallization behavior of the composites. On one hand, it functioned as a nucleating agent. The addition of 2 wt % nano-TiO2 promoted the crystallization, which caused the increase of the crystallization rate and crystallinity degree, as well as the micronization of the crystalline grain. On the other hand, intermolecular hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds were formed between nano-TiO2 and the polymer matrix, which hindered the crystallization of the composites. When the content of nano-TiO2 was continually increased, the inhibitory effect of the crystallization was gradually enhanced, which resulted in a decrease in the crystallization rate and crystallinity degree of the composites. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 39846.