Substantial Enrichment of Mechanical, Thermal and Electrical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer by Melt Blending with Nano-ZnO

Haydar Zaman; Ruhul A. Khan

Abstract

Polymers are more reinforced with nano-metal oxides, a completely flexible composite of engineering that simplifies the way of exhibiting good mechanical and chemical features. Polymer mixtures represent a very vital field in the handling of innovative ingredients, which have better features than net polymers. Polymer mixtures can deliver ingredients with prolonged useful features beyond the range that can be achieved from a single polymer equivalent. A methodical study was performed to test the features of the matrix by introducing nano-ZnO (4 nm, 1–5 wt.%) into the matrix from a poly(butylene terephthalate)-block-poly (tetramethylene glycol) (PBT-PTMG)-based thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPE). ZnO nanoparticles were coated with maleate styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBSMA) before melt blending for better surface bond and fine dispersion. The effects of uncoated and coated nano-ZnO (nZnO) particles with varying concentrations on the mechanical, thermal, and electrical features of binary TPE/nZnO nanocomposites were manufactured by the melt compounding process tracked by hot press mold. The tensile features such as yield strength, tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation at break varied with the concentration of nZnO. The mechanical features exhibited that the strength and modulus increased with increasing nZnO loadings while the elongation at break recorded a linear decrease. The morphological observation revealed that the filler dispersed well in the polymer matrix due to the formation of chemical bonds. Nano-ZnO incorporation enhances electrical and thermal features such as melting temperature, and thermal stability of nanocomposites.

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