A comprehensive study on mechanical and fracture properties of polypropylene/ethylene propylene diene monomer/halloysite blend polymer nanocomposites

This study focuses on investigating the mechanical and fracture characteristics of thermoplastic elastomeric compounds used in various industries, including environmental and medical applications. Specifically, the paper examines the effects of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and halloysite (HNT) fillers on the mechanical properties of unvulcanized and dynamically vulcanized polypropylene (PP) blend polymer nanocomposites. The concentrations of EPDM and HNT were varied, along with the inclusion of polypropylene-g-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA). A full factorial design approach was employed to thoroughly analyze the impact of each factor on the outcomes. The fracture properties were assessed using the essential work of fracture (EWF) methodology. The results indicate that incorporating 10 to 20 wt.% of EPDM significantly improved the elongation at break (166%) and non-EWF (33%). Furthermore, the addition of 3 wt.% HNT led to enhancements in tensile strength, modulus, and non-EWF. Notably, the dynamically vulcanized compounds and those containing PP-g-MA exhibited superior mechanical and fracture properties compared to the unvulcanized counterparts.