Nanoindentation and mechanical characteristics of TiO2/polypropylene polymer nanocomposite

This research investigates the nano-titanium oxides (TiO2), impact on the composition, nano-indenter test, and mechanical characteristics of Polypropylene (PP). The incorporation of TiO2 nanoparticles into a solution of PP polymer led to the creation of a homogeneous blend. Hydraulic pressing yields a polymer nanocomposite rectangular sheet of 2 millimetres in thickness. In order to examine the nanocomposites, XRD (X-ray diffraction) and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were used. The dispersion of the nanoparticles was analysed using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The addition of TiO2 nanoparticles at concentrations of 2 and 4 wt% was used to modify polypropylene, while the proportion of polypropylene remained constant at 1% weight. X-ray and FTIR analysis confirmed the existence of TiO2, whereas the SEM findings demonstrated the effective distribution of TiO2 throughout the PP matrix. An investigation was conducted to examine the impact of TiO2 on the mechanical characteristics of PP. The samples were subjected to mechanical characterizations utilising traditional methods such as flexural strength, tensile strength, impact resistance, and nanoindentation. The mechanical investigation revealed that the nano hardness of the changed coating, as measured by nanoindentation, exhibited a maximum increase of 36.9% in comparison to the unmodified coatings. The nanocomposites exhibited enhanced mechanical characteristics, with the nano hardness and elastic modulus of the nanocomposite samples surpassing those of pure PP.