Effects of cooling rate on fracture resistance of nylon 6-silicate nanocomposites

In this paper, the fracture resistance of nylon 6-silicate nanocomposites was measured as function of silicate content and cooling rate. The addition of silicate nanolayers resulted in a significant decrease in toughness in air cooled samples. In cold water quenched samples, however, the total fracture work was comparable with that of neat nylon 6, providing a promising way for the simultaneous enhancement of stiffness, strength, and toughness. The effect of cooling rate on the semi-crystalline matrix structure and its role in fracture behavior were discussed.