Fabrication and characterization of high strength Nylon-6/Si3N4 polymer nanocomposite fibers

Alignment of silicon nitride nanorods in Nylon-6 polymeric matrix has been achieved through melt extrusion process. Tensile properties of as-fabricated single fibers show that the strength and modulus of a nanocomposite fibers increased by 273% and 610%, respectively, as compared to the neat Nylon-6 fibers. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) studies have confirmed the successful alignment of nanorods along the filament length. Larger increase in modulus of the nanorods reinforced Nylon-6 was at a cost of about 35% decrease (reduced from 65% to 30%) in fracture strain. In an attempt to retain the ultimate strain, nanorods were replaced by spherical Si3N4 (∼30 nm dia) particles and it was demonstrated that the improvement in tensile properties is still by 179% for strength and 276% for modulus practically without any loss of fracture strain.