{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33796"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33796","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The Effect of Matrix Molecular Weight on the Dispersion of Nanoclay in Unmodified High Density Polyethylene","abstract":"The effect of molecular weight on the dispersion of relatively polar montmorillonite (MMT) in non polar, unmodified high density polyethylene (HDPE) was examined. Polymer layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites were compounded using three unmodified HDPE matrices of differing molecular weight and an organically modified MMT in concentrations ranging from 2 wt% to 8 wt% via single screw extrusion. The weight average molecular weights of the HDPE matrices used in this study ranged from 87,000 g/mol to 460,000 g/mol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), mechanical testing, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), as well as dynamic and capillary rheometry were performed on the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites generated from the high molecular weight (HMW) HDPE matrix exhibited increased intercalation of the MMT as shown by XRD as well as greater improvements in the Young's modulus compared to nanocomposites generated from both the low (LMW) and middle molecular weight (MMW) matrices. This was attributed to higher shear stress imparted to MMT during compounding from the more viscous matrix facilitating their separation and orientation during injection molding. DMTA showed that the torsional response of the HMW nanocomposites was not as great compared to their LMW and MMW counterparts as observed from a lower percentage enhancement in the storage modulus (Gâ ) and estimated heat distortion temperature (HDT) due to anisotropy in mechanical properties. Dynamic rheology indicated that a percolated network did not exist in any of the nanocomposites as shown by no change in the terminal behavior of Gâ upon addition of clay.","abstract_html":"The effect of molecular weight on the dispersion of relatively polar montmorillonite (MMT) in non polar, unmodified high density polyethylene (HDPE) was examined. Polymer layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites were compounded using three unmodified HDPE matrices of differing molecular weight and an organically modified MMT in concentrations ranging from 2 wt% to 8 wt% via single screw extrusion. The weight average molecular weights of the HDPE matrices used in this study ranged from 87,000 g/mol to 460,000 g/mol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), mechanical testing, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), as well as dynamic and capillary rheometry were performed on the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites generated from the high molecular weight (HMW) HDPE matrix exhibited increased intercalation of the MMT as shown by XRD as well as greater improvements in the Young's modulus compared to nanocomposites generated from both the low (LMW) and middle molecular weight (MMW) matrices. This was attributed to higher shear stress imparted to MMT during compounding from the more viscous matrix facilitating their separation and orientation during injection molding. DMTA showed that the torsional response of the HMW nanocomposites was not as great compared to their LMW and MMW counterparts as observed from a lower percentage enhancement in the storage modulus (Gâ ) and estimated heat distortion temperature (HDT) due to anisotropy in mechanical properties. Dynamic rheology indicated that a percolated network did not exist in any of the nanocomposites as shown by no change in the terminal behavior of Gâ upon addition of clay.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Chu, David"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Chemical Engineering","degree_department":"Chemical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Baird, Donald G."],"committee_members":["Goldstein, Aaron S.","Davis, Richey M."],"year":2006,"date_issued":"2006-06-26","date_published":"2006-06-26","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:01Z","subjects":["high density polyethylene","molecular weight","nanoclay"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-06282006-154608"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-06282006-154608","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33796","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Baird, Donald G."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Goldstein, Aaron S.","Davis, Richey M."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Chemical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Chu, David"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:40:44Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:40:44Z","2006-08-02"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2006-06-26"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Chemical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["high density polyethylene","molecular weight","nanoclay"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-06282006-154608"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33796"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The effect of molecular weight on the dispersion of relatively polar montmorillonite (MMT) in non polar, unmodified high density polyethylene (HDPE) was examined. Polymer layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites were compounded using three unmodified HDPE matrices of differing molecular weight and an organically modified MMT in concentrations ranging from 2 wt% to 8 wt% via single screw extrusion. The weight average molecular weights of the HDPE matrices used in this study ranged from 87,000 g/mol to 460,000 g/mol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), mechanical testing, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), as well as dynamic and capillary rheometry were performed on the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites generated from the high molecular weight (HMW) HDPE matrix exhibited increased intercalation of the MMT as shown by XRD as well as greater improvements in the Young's modulus compared to nanocomposites generated from both the low (LMW) and middle molecular weight (MMW) matrices. This was attributed to higher shear stress imparted to MMT during compounding from the more viscous matrix facilitating their separation and orientation during injection molding. DMTA showed that the torsional response of the HMW nanocomposites was not as great compared to their LMW and MMW counterparts as observed from a lower percentage enhancement in the storage modulus (Gâ ) and estimated heat distortion temperature (HDT) due to anisotropy in mechanical properties. Dynamic rheology indicated that a percolated network did not exist in any of the nanocomposites as shown by no change in the terminal behavior of Gâ upon addition of clay."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effect of Matrix Molecular Weight on the Dispersion of Nanoclay in Unmodified High Density Polyethylene"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Baird, Donald G."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Goldstein, Aaron S.","Davis, Richey M."],"dc:contributor.department":["Chemical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Chu, David"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:40:44Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:40:44Z","2006-08-02"],"dc:date.issued":["2006-06-26"],"dc:description.abstract":["The effect of molecular weight on the dispersion of relatively polar montmorillonite (MMT) in non polar, unmodified high density polyethylene (HDPE) was examined. Polymer layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites were compounded using three unmodified HDPE matrices of differing molecular weight and an organically modified MMT in concentrations ranging from 2 wt% to 8 wt% via single screw extrusion. The weight average molecular weights of the HDPE matrices used in this study ranged from 87,000 g/mol to 460,000 g/mol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), mechanical testing, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), as well as dynamic and capillary rheometry were performed on the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites generated from the high molecular weight (HMW) HDPE matrix exhibited increased intercalation of the MMT as shown by XRD as well as greater improvements in the Young's modulus compared to nanocomposites generated from both the low (LMW) and middle molecular weight (MMW) matrices. This was attributed to higher shear stress imparted to MMT during compounding from the more viscous matrix facilitating their separation and orientation during injection molding. DMTA showed that the torsional response of the HMW nanocomposites was not as great compared to their LMW and MMW counterparts as observed from a lower percentage enhancement in the storage modulus (Gâ ) and estimated heat distortion temperature (HDT) due to anisotropy in mechanical properties. Dynamic rheology indicated that a percolated network did not exist in any of the nanocomposites as shown by no change in the terminal behavior of Gâ upon addition of clay."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-06282006-154608"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33796"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["high density polyethylene","molecular weight","nanoclay"],"dc:title":["The Effect of Matrix Molecular Weight on the Dispersion of Nanoclay in Unmodified High Density Polyethylene"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Chemical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:01Z"}