THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER-CLAY AND -CARBON NANOFIBER NANOCOMPOSITES: FLAMMABILITY STUDIES

摘要

Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer was modified with montmorillonite nanoclays and carbon nanofibers via twin screw extrusion processing. The thermal insulation properties of these thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer nanocomposites were characterized at different heat fluxes. The addition of nanoparticles into thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer resulted in the formation of a char layer modifying the thermal insulative properties of the materials. Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer with 10 wt(percent) carbon nanofibers and with 5 wt(percent) nanoclays gave the best thermal performance with respect to protecting a substrate. The surface temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer-clay nanocomposites did not vary much while the surface temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer-carbon nanofiber nanocomposites varied more substantially. Some of the trends in surface and substrate temperature measurements with nanomodification can be described using a simple energy balance model that takes into account the basic heat transfer mechanisms.