Micro- and nano-mechanical characterization of polyamide 11 and its composites containing cellulose nanofibers

• Nanocomposites from polyamide 11 and 16/30 nm thick CNs prepared via melt compounding.
• Polyamide/CNs nanocomposites show good thermal stability and melt processing behavior.
• PFQNM–AFM method emphasized microstructure on different levels in polyamide 11.
• Microstructure revealed by PFQNM correlated with mechanical behavior of nanocomposites.

Nanocomposites from polyamide 11 and dried cellulose nanofibers (CNs), 16–30 nm in thickness and 50–400 nm in length, were prepared via direct melt mixing and their micro- and nano-mechanical properties were studied. (PF) QNM (Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping) method was used to map nanomechanical properties at the surface of polyamide 11 and nanocomposites. This new AFM method emphasized both the increased modulus in nanocomposites as compared to the matrix and the microstructure on different levels in polyamide 11 and its nanocomposites. PF QNM showed that their crystalline structure consists of bundles of lamellar stacks, 200–350 nm in width and 20–40 nm wide lamellar stacks. Moreover, PF QNM study emphasized higher structural order in nanocomposites with 3 and 5 wt.% CNs and lower in the nanocomposite with 8 wt.% CNs as compared to the reference. These observations were verified and are consistent with both crystallinity values determined by DSC and micro-mechanical test results. The oriented bundles of lamellar stacks, observed by PF QNM, could be considered as the main blocks determining high mechanical properties for the studied nanomaterials.

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