Short nylon-6 nanofiber reinforced transparent and high modulus thermoplastic polymeric composites

The use of small amounts (<5 wt%) of short nylon-6 nanofibers (diameter less than 200 nm) for reinforcing mechanical properties of TPU without losing its optical properties is highlighted in this work. The interaction of H-bonding type between the reinforcing fibers and the matrix polymer could provide a homogenous distribution of fibers and a strong interface leading to significant enhancement in mechanical properties (185% increase in E modulus) as shown by comparative use of TPU and PMMA as matrix polymers. The reinforcing effect of short fibers was attained without sacrificing transparency (>90% transparency in 400-800 nm range) of TPU. The effective use of short nylon-6 fibers in comparison to the long and continuous fibers is also discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.