Irradiation applications for polymer nano-composites: A state-of-the-art review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2017.11.009Get rights and content

Abstract

In recent years, irradiation treatment has emerged as a popular technique for modification of nanostructures in fabrication of high performance polymer composites. The conventional modification methods typically involve expensive chemicals, difficult processing techniques and specialized chemistry. However, the irradiation treatment is considered simple, rapid and “green” technique that operates under ambient conditions and the product is free of residual initiators and modifiers. Such modifications develop strong interfacial matrix-nanostructure interactions and exhibit notable advantages as compared to chemical approaches. High energy radiations have beneficial effects for tailoring structure and properties of nano-systems with high precision. The irradiation processes, mechanisms, strategies and composites are reviewed in this article along with the potential applications and future challenges.

Introduction

Study of interaction of radiations with materials has always been a popular scientific research domain. Broadly radiations can be classified as ionizing and non-ionizing depending on their ability to ionize materials. The ionization potential of isolated atoms ranges from a few eV for alkali elements to 24.6 eV for noble gases [1]. Ionizing radiation can interact with material directly or indirectly and carry enough energy to ionize the medium it passes through. While non-ionizing radiation cannot ionize material due to its low ionizing potential. Fig. 1 presents the classification of radiations.

Irradiation treatment of reinforcement can be categorized into three general classes depending on the treatment stage: (a) pre-composite irradiation (b) irradiation grafting of nanostructures (c) post-composite irradiation. Nanostructures can be irradiated prior to their incorporation into polymer matrix. This treatment aims at modification of the surface and structural morphology of nanostructures. In second category, the nanostructures can be grafted with various modifier reagents or monomers under irradiation. The grafted nano-structures exhibit improved interactions with polymer matrices, and hence final composites are prepared with improved properties. The post-irradiation of reinforced composites is also found very interesting due to characteristics behavior of nanostructure within polymer matrices in nanocomposites under irradiation.

Section snippets

Pre-composite irradiation of nanostructures

Some non-functionalized nanostructures like carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene show poor dispersion into polymer matrix due to stacking, agglomeration and other phenomenon. The poor polymer-filler interactions also limit the performance of filler in polymer matrices. Environment friendly, economical and controlled irradiation treatments are the supposed answers of conventional, expensive and complicated chemical approaches to address these challenges.

Irradiation grafting of nanostructures

Nanoparticles are excellent fillers to improve properties of polymers especially mechanical performance. However, it is observed that the high weight loading of filler does not always improve reinforcement characteristics. This high particle loading increases viscosity and thus makes the processability difficult. In high loading situations, nanoparticles tend to agglomerate which decreases the surface area and thus reduces reinforcement effect due to breaking and splitting of agglomerated

Post-irradiation of nanocomposites

Polymer composites are widely used in space applications. In outer space environment where composites are challenged by ionizing radiations, post irradiation effects gain significant importance. Post-irradiation treatment of polymer nanocomposite can be used for a number of reasons: For example; (i) to develop cross linking of polymer molecules, (ii) to evaluate performance of nanocomposite under radiation exposure, e.g., oxidation behavior of polymer matrix due to incorporated nano-filler

Future prospects

An intensive research has performed associated with irradiation of CNTs for polymer composites, which may be eventually extended to other nanofillers to be use as potential technological applications. The understanding of irradiation response of other kinds of nanostructures (such as fullerenes and other inorganic nanoparticles) is practically very poor owing to relatively less experimental and no systematic work on these nano-systems for composites. Although there is some work reported on

Conclusion

This review article focuses on recent studies describing irradiation assisted treatment of nanostructures and nanocomposites. It is a promising technique offers exciting and potential opportunities to incur extraordinary mechanical, electrical, thermal and multifunctional properties in composites. Diversity in characteristics of final composite materials is specialty of irradiation technique. The irradiation of polymers cause the formation of free radicals which lead to chain siccission and

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by Higher Education Commission, Pakistan (Grant number NRPU/2440).

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