Polypropylene/nTiO₂ nanocomposites using melt mixing and its investigation on mechanical and thermal properties

This study investigates the preparation of nTiO₂ particle using green chemistry approach and its subsequent effect on the properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) nanocomposites, which is one of the most suited thermoplastic polymer. The nanocomposite of iPP with TiO₂ nanoparticle (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 wt%) were prepared on Brabender plasticorder, which was then subjected to injection molding to get a dumbbell‐shape specimens. Meanwhile, TiO2 nanoparticles (nTiO₂) were prepared using ultrasonic cavitation technique using leaf extract of Murraya koenigii. The extraction of leaf was carried out using distilled water as a solvent. The size and shape of nTiO₂ particle was confirmed using transmission electron microscope and found to be spherical shape of diameter ∼10–45 nm. The mechanical properties of nTiO₂ reinforced iPP composites were studied using universal testing machine. Moreover, thermal properties were studied using Vicat softening temperature, thermogravimetric analyzer, and differential scanning calorimeter. The extent of dispersion of nTiO₂ in iPP matrix was studied using field‐emission scanning electron microscope and X‐ray diffractometer. The mechanical and thermal properties of nTiO₂‐iPP composites were found to be improved significantly with increasing amount of nTiO₂ particles except elongation at break, which is a marginal increment. This improvement in properties (mechanical and thermal) was due to the uniform dispersion of nTiO₂ in iPP matrix, which means that chains of polymers were well adhered with the spherical shaper particles. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:1273–1279, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers