Fabrication of high-density polyethylene/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites via submerged friction stir processing: Evaluation of morphological, mechanical, and thermal behavior

The focus of this work was to study the effect of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on morphology, mechanical, and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites. MWCNTs/HDPE nanocomposites were prepared using submerged friction stir processing (SFSP) technique. The pristine MWCNTs without any pretreatment were blended with HDPE at a fixed traverse speed of 30 mm min(-1) and various rotational speeds ranging from 1200 r min(-1) to 2100 r min(-1). The effect of rotational speed on MWCNTs dispersion in HDPE matrix was assessed using scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results showed the rotational speed affected the disperision of the MWCNTs. The mechanical properties of the composites were measured, and the results indicated that the tensile strength increased at first and then decreased with the increase of the rotation speed. The thermal properties of MWCNTs-filled HDPE nanocomposites were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, and the crystalline content of the prepared composites by the SFSP technology was increased. From the experimental research, it was found that the SFSP technique was a practical way to fabricate polymeric composites.