Application of silane grafted titanate nanotubes in reinforcing of polyamide 11 composites

Polyamide 11 (PA11) composites reinforced with pristine and silanized titanate nanotubes (TTNT) were prepared using twin-screw melt compounding. A better dispersion of silanized TTNT in PA11 caused increase of crystallinity and decrease of the long period of PA11 lamellar structure. The increase of glass transition (∼33%) and decomposition temperature (∼3%), as well as, the improvement of Young's, storage and loss modulus (of 17, 27 and 17% respectively) was achieved in the composites loaded with the highest content (2 wt%) of nanofiller silanized by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), owning to a chemical interaction established at the silanized TTNT-PA11 interface. Contrary to it, lack of compatibility at the pristine TTNT-PA11 interface led to drop (up to 20%) in the strength at break in these composites.