Assembly of layered double hydroxide on multi-walled carbon nanotubes as reinforcing hybrid nanofiller in thermoplastic polyurethane/nitrile butadiene rubber blends

An efficient approach has been applied to assemble MgAl layered double hydroxide onto pristine carbon nanotubes using sodium dodecylsulfate. The assembling process and formation of such hybrid nanostructures were established using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Subsequently, the hybrid was used as nanofiller in the development of high-performance thermoplastic polyurethane/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (1:1 w/w) blend nanocomposites. Measurements of mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties show that tensile strength, elongation at break and storage modulus improve significantly by 171%, 1.8 times and 241% in a blend with 0.50 wt% loading of hybrid filler. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the thermal stability of the blend with 0.50 wt% hybrid filler compared to neat material is maximally improved by 20 degrees C determined at 50% weight loss. Differential scanning calorimetry shows the maximum enhancement in melting temperature (7 degrees C) and crystallization temperature (31 degrees C) due to significant nucleation efficiency of the filler, homogeneous dispersion and strong interfacial interaction between polymermatrix and filler. (C) 2015 Society of Chemical Industry