Abstract
The present study demonstrates that the mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP) can be effectively improved by the incorporation of a small amount of modified inorganic nanoparticles (typically < 3% by volume), which is much lower than the content required by the conventional particulate filled composites, using the existing manufacturing facilities for bulk polymers. Further efforts will be made to reveal the internal structure of the grafted nanoparticle agglomerates, distribution of the agglomerates in the matrix, viscoelastic characteristics of the interphase and their influences on composites properties, and failure mechanisms, so as to understand the fundamental aspects of the performance enhancement of the nanocomposites. Materials include PP filled with different polymers (polystyrene, polybutyl acrylate, polyvinyl acetate, polyethyl acrylate, polymethyl methacrylate, polymethacrylic acid) grafted SiO sub 2 .