Effect of processing parameters and strain rate on mechanical properties of carbon nanotube-filled polypropylene nanocomposites

The experimental results have shown that the incorporation of MWCNTs could effectively enhance the above mentioned mechanical properties of the injection molded PP/MWCNTs nanocomposites, the reinforcing effect of MWCNTs being more pronounced at higher injection pressure. The yield strength, stress at break and Young's modulus of the PP/MWCNTs nanocomposite increased with the increase of the MWCNTs content and strain rate, while an opposite trend was found in the yield strain and strain at break. The effect of crystallinity is secondary with respect to the effect of carbon nanotubes.