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Carbon Nanotube Reinforced High Density Polyethylene Materials for Offshore Sheathing Applications

Okolo C 1 , Rafique R 2 , Iqbal SS 3 , Saharudin MS 4 , Inam F 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
  • 2 H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological, Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
  • 3 Department of Physics, University of Lahore, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
  • 4 Malaysia Italy Design Institute (UniKL MIDI), Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur 56100, Malaysia
  • 5 Department of Engineering and Computing, University of East London, London E16 2RD, UK
Molecules, 2020 Jun 27;25(13).
PMID: 32605124 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25132960

Abstract

Multiwall carbon nanotube (CNT)-filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites were prepared by extrusion and considered for their suitability in the offshore sheathing applications. Transmission electron microscopy was conducted to analyse dispersion after bulk extrusion. Monolithic and nanocomposite samples were subjected to accelerated weathering and photodegradation (carbonyl and vinyl indices) characterisations, which consisted of heat, moisture (seawater) and UV light, intended to imitate the offshore conditions. The effects of accelerated weathering on mechanical properties (tensile strength and elastic modulus) of the nanocomposites were analysed. CNT addition in HDPE produced environmentally resilient nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties. The energy utilised to extrude nanocomposites was also less than the energy used to extrude monolithic HDPE samples. The results support the mass substitution of CNT-filled HDPE nanocomposites in high-end offshore applications.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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