Investigation of the structural and electrical properties of polypropylene - Bijoypur white clay composite

Abstract

Polypropylene-Bijoypur rl1,ile Clay (PP-BWC) composites wah different PP and BWe wmposition such as 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, 0,40, 0.50 kg a/EWe in 1.0 kg PP were prepared by extru8lOn molding method. n,e XRD, IK VTAITGA, UV-v's and the de electrical measurements were carried out on the PP, BWe andfil'e d;jferen/ PP-BWC compOSItes. The XlW and IR analysis reveal that there are definite structural trans/ormation of PP due /0 the inclUSIOna/EWe. The VTAITGA results reveal thai the melting temperature changes from 430 to 435 K as EWe increases in the composites. The high temperature degrada/lOll and evolunon qf gases occur due 10 dehydrogenation and oxidatIve reactions in the polymer. In the UV-Vis a650rplion studies. the band gap and direct lran.mion energy gap of PP and PP-BWC composItes were observed. The band gap and Ihe d,recl transilion energy gap decrease wah increasing EWe conlenl. The currenl voltage (I-V) characlerIStlCS were recordod ill the voltage range 0 to 160 V. From Ihe I-V characterIstic it is evldenl thaI OhmIC conduction and a conduction process other Ihan Ohmic are operative at Ihe lower and higher voitage regions in Ihese materials respectrllefy. The d.C'_conductivity measurement were peiformed In the lemperallLre range 298 to 410 K. The acltvatioo energy val"es are obtamedfrom the plots qf log<r versus 1fT. The acltvalion energy of all the samples has hIgher values in high temperature region than those at law temperature regloo. In both law and high temperature regions the acttvanon energy decreases with mcreasing EWe. These observations suggesl Ihal lhe de. conductivity may be due to ion motIOn by hoppmg process.