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1 – 3 of 3Shi Xu, Hongyu Gao, Fukang Yang, Ziyue Zhang, Shuolei Wang, Xiaojian Jiang and Yubing Dong
The purpose of this study is to improve the mechanical properties, thermal insulation properties and flame retardant properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the organic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to improve the mechanical properties, thermal insulation properties and flame retardant properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the organic montmorillonite (OMMT)/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites and fibers were prepared, and the effects of the OMMT/SiO2 aerogel on the structure, thermal conductivity and flame retardance of the OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites and their fibers were systematically investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites and fibers were prepared by in-situ polymerization and melt spinning using SiO2 aerogel as thermal insulation filler and OMMT (DK2) as comodified filler.
Findings
The experimental results showed that OMMT improved the crystallization properties of PET. Compared with the crystallinity of SiO2 aerogel/PET composites (34.8%), SiO2 aerogel/PET composites and their fibers reached 45.1% and 49.2%, respectively. The breaking strength of the OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fibers were gradually increased with the OMMT content. When the content of OMMT was 0.8 wt.%, the fracture strength of the composite fibers reached 4.40 cN/dtex, which was 54% higher than that of the SiO2 aerogel/PET fiber. In addition, the thermal insulation properties of the composites and their fibers were improved by addition of fillers, and at the same time reached the flame retardant level. The thermal conductivity of the 0.8 wt.% OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites was 101.78 mW/(m·K), which was 49.3% and 58.8% lower than that of the SiO2 aerogel/PET composites and the pure PET, respectively. The thermal conductivity of the fiber fabrics woven from the 0.8 wt.% OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites was 28.18 mW/(m·K), which was 29.0% and 44.6% lower than that of the SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fiber fabrics and PET fiber fabrics. The flame retardancy of the composites was improved, with an limiting oxygen index value of 29.2% for the 0.8 wt.% OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites, which was 4.1% higher compared to the SiO2 aerogel/PET composites, and achieved the flame retardant level.
Research limitations/implications
The SiO2 aerogel/PET composites and their fibers have good mechanical properties, flame retardant properties and thermal insulation properties, exhibited good potential for application in the field of thermal insulation, such as warm clothing. Nowadays, as the energy crisis is becoming more and more serious, it is very important to improve the thermal insulation properties of PET to reduce energy losses and mitigate the energy crisis.
Originality/value
In this study, PET based composites and their fibers with excellent mechanical properties, thermal insulation properties and flame retardant property were obtained by using three-dimensional network porous silica aerogel with low density and low thermal conductivity as the thermal insulation functional filler and two-dimensional layered OMMT as the synergetic modified filler.
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Fukang Yang, Wenjun Wang, Yongjie Yan and YuBing Dong
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a fiber molding polymer is widely used in aerospace, electrical and electronic, clothing and other fields. The purpose of this study is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a fiber molding polymer is widely used in aerospace, electrical and electronic, clothing and other fields. The purpose of this study is to improve the thermal insulation performance of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the SiO2 aerogel/PET composites slices and fibers were prepared, and the effects of the SiO2 aerogel on the morphology, structure, crystallization property and thermal conductivity of the SiO2 aerogel/PET composites slices and their fibers were systematically investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The mass ratio of purified terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol was selected as 1:1.5, which was premixed with Sb2O3 and the corresponding mass of SiO2 aerogel, and SiO2 aerogel/PET composites were prepared by direct esterification and in-situ polymerization. The SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fibers were prepared by melt-spinning method.
Findings
The results showed that the SiO2 aerogel was uniformly dispersed in the PET matrix. The thermal insulation coefficient of PET was significantly reduced by the addition of SiO2 aerogel, and the thermal conductivity of the 1.0 Wt.% SiO2 aerogel/PET composites was reduced by 75.74 mW/(m · K) compared to the pure PET. The thermal conductivity of the 0.8 Wt.% SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fiber was reduced by 46.06% compared to the pure PET fiber. The crystallinity and flame-retardant coefficient of the SiO2 aerogel/PET composite fibers showed an increasing trend with the addition of SiO2 aerogel.
Research limitations/implications
The SiO2 aerogel/PET composite slices and their fibers have good thermal insulation properties and exhibit good potential for application in the field of thermal insulation, such as warm clothes. In today’s society where the energy crisis is becoming increasingly serious, improving the thermal insulation performance of PET to reduce energy loss will be of great significance to alleviate the energy crisis.
Originality/value
In this study, SiO2 aerogel/PET composite slices and their fibers were prepared by an in situ polymerization process, which solved the problem of difficult dispersion of nanoparticles in the matrix and the thermal conductivity of PET significantly reduced.
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Hongyu Gao, Shi Xu, Fukang Yang, Ziyue Zhang, Shuolei Wang, Xiaojian Jiang and Yubing Dong
Crystallization kinetics is a key factor that controls the crystallization process of polymers and influences the crystallinity and morphology of polymers. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Crystallization kinetics is a key factor that controls the crystallization process of polymers and influences the crystallinity and morphology of polymers. This study aims to explore the effects of functional filler SiO2 aerogel and co-modified filler organic montmorillonite (OMMT) on the crystallization process of polyester polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In this study, the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites were studied by Jeziorny method.
Design/methodology/approach
The catalyst (Sb2O3), OMMT and SiO2 aerogel were uniformly dispersed in ethylene glycol (EG). Then, the mixture and terephthalic acid (PTA) were put into a semicontinuous polyester synthesis reactor, and the SiO2 aerogel/PET composites were prepared by esterification and polycondensation.
Findings
Non-isothermal kinetic results showed that the high cooling rate hindered the movement of the molecular chain of the composites and made the crystallization peak move toward the low-temperature direction. With the increase of crystallization temperature (Tc), the melt crystallization rate decreases, but the cold crystallization rate increases. The introduction of OMMT and SiO2 aerogel condensation affected the nucleation and growth mode of crystals, lengthened the time with a relative crystallinity of 50% (t1/2) and decreased the crystallization rate. OMMT improved the crystallinity and Avrami index of the composites.
Research limitations/implications
Effects of thermal insulation functional filler SiO2 aerogel and co-modified filler OMMT on the crystallization process of PET were studied by non-isothermal crystallization kinetics, and the effects of SiO2 aerogel and OMMT on the nucleation mechanism of PET were clarified, which provided a theoretical reference for the preparation and performance optimization of PET matrix composites.
Originality/value
In this study, the OMMT/SiO2 aerogel/PET composites were prepared by in-situ polymerization, the crystallinity of PET matrix composites was improved, and the effects of OMMT and SiO2 aerogel on the crystallization process of PET were clarified.
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