Novel polyamide nanocomposites based on silicate nanotubes of the mineral halloysite

In this study, the silicate nanotubes of the mineral halloysite will be used as reinforcement in polyamide-6 (PA 6). The nanocomposites based on PA-6 and as-received halloysite were prepared by melt extrusion and an adjacent injection moulding process. Mechanical and thermomechanical properties have been investigated by tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results show an increased strength and stiffness as well as an enhanced elongation at break at low halloysite content. To evaluate the potential of halloysite as a new candidate in the class of nanofillers, the properties of the halloysite nanocomposites has been compared to those of conventional nanocomposites based on organically modified montmorillonite. From this comparison it can be seen, that both types of nanocomposites show enhanced tensile properties as well as an increased storage modulus, but the increase in tensile strength is more pronounced in the organoclay nanocomposites, whereas the raise of the storage modulus is more prominent in the halloysite nanocomposites. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved