Fire Retardancy Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of High-Density Polyethylene/Ultrafine Fly Ash/MWCNT Nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of high-density polyethylene along with ultrafine fly ash and acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been developed. To enhance the interfacial adhesion, an epoxy-functionalized high-density polyethylene has been added, while the ultrafine fly ash has been surface modified using aminosilane-coupling agent. Improvement in mechanical properties using both ultrafine fly ash/multiwalled carbon nanotubes was seen and was further analyzed using micromechanical models. The addition of ultrafine fly ash and multiwalled carbon nanotubes together exhibited synergism leading to lowering of peak heat release rate. The nanocomposites showed enhanced thermal stability and lowered crystallinity percentage values of the high-density polyethylene phase due to improved interfacial interactions.