In this study, organically modified Na-MMT clay was used for the preparation of blend nanocomposites containing different ratios of polypropylene (PP) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) elastomer in a twin screw extruder. Maleic-grafted PP (MAPP) was used as compatibilizer for making PP hydrophilic. Surface modification of Na–MMT was made by using amino propyl trimethoxy silane (APS) and trimethyl amine as coupling agent with surface grafting catalyst, respectively. A fracture mechanics approach has been adopted by mode I test and the effects of specimen geometry have been investigated. Increase in interlaminar fracture energy value, 𝐺_c, was observed as the crack propagated through the composite, i.e. a rising ‘R-curve’ for both blend and nanocomposites. Deep fracture studies were carried out at different temperatures (–60 °C to 60 °C) using Izod impact and SENT tests. Fracture energy, fracture stress and brittle ductile transition were determined from crack initiation and propagation process, which showed significant improvement in impact and fracture energy at positive temperature. The wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed increased 𝑑-spacing of clay layers, indicating enhanced compatibility between PP and clay with the addition of maleated polypropylene (MAPP). Morphology/impact property relationships and an explanation of the toughening mechanisms were made by comparing the impact properties with scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) of fracture surfaces. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) photomicrographs illustrated the intercalated and partially exfoliated structures of the hybrids with clay, MAPP and elastomer.

The present study concerns the fabrication of short sisal fibre-reinforced polypropylene (PP/SF) composites by melt mixing with different fibre length (3, 6 and 10 mm) comprising of 70% of matrix PP and 30% of SFs followed by injection moulding. The PP/MA-g-PP/SF composites were prepared with the ratio of 65:5:30 with the optimized fibre length of 6 mm at different mould temperatures (25, 45 and 65$^{\circ}$C) in a similar fashion. This work also further extended to study the effect of fibre orientation of the composites by numerical calculation of secondorder orientation tensor. To evaluate the fibre orientations PP/MA-g-PP/SF composites at different mould temperatures,scanning electron microscope micrographs were used to estimate the accurate principal directions and two-dimensional fibre orientation distributions through centre coordinates of the elliptical fibre images. Finally, a mathematical model of modified rule of mixture was adopted to compare the predicted tensile strength and modulus with the experimental findings.

This research was accomplished to examine the mechanical, morphological and crystallization kinetics study of polyethylene/silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) nanocomposite films. In this research, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) nanocomposite films were prepared containing Ag-NPs using maleic-anhydride-grafted low-density polyethylene (LDPE-g-MAH) as a compatibilizer by the melt mixing process. From mechanical property evaluation, it is revealed that the LDPE/LDPE-g-MAH/Ag-NPs nanocomposite films showed decreased tensile strength as compared with virgin LDPE matrix. Thermal characteristics of the prepared virgin LDPE and its nanocomposite films were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Comprehensive analysis of different kinetic modelssuch as the Avrami and Mo model on non-isothermal crystallization kinetics was performed in order to correlate the rate of crystallization and its various kinetic parameters. Further, the macrokinetic equation as proposed by Malkinhas been applied to describe the kinetics of crystallization in the light of the Avrami equation. Concerning virgin LDPE and Ag-NP-reinforced LDPE, the former shows primary crystallization, whereas the later exhibits both primaryand secondary crystallization with varying Avrami exponents. Kinetic parameters are recognized, and confirm the influence of Ag-NPs on crystallization kinetics. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopicanalysis of the nanocomposite films were conducted to verify the dispersion of inorganic filler particles in the resulting hybrids.