Copper nanowire/PA6 composites prepared by in situ polymerization and its properties

This work focuses on the properties of the two copper nanowire/polyamide 6 (PA6) composites prepared through in situ polymerization method by the different adding procedures of copper nanowire at the reaction initial stage and intermediate stage (denoted as PA6/Cu/A and PA6/Cu/B, respectively). The copper nanowire inside PA6 is shown by transmission electron microscopy with separately dispersing of copper nanowire added at initial stage and aggregating at intermediate stage. Further, X-ray diffraction confirmed copper nanowire with pristine status inside PA6 because the reducing atmosphere of reaction system protects copper nanowire not to be oxidized in the preparation process of copper nanowire/PA6 composites. Moreover, the decomposition temperature of copper nanowire/PA6 composites with 0.5 % (mass fraction) copper nanowire move toward a higher temperature in comparison with pure PA6; but the crystallization temperature is lower temperature than that of PA6. Furthermore, copper nanowire filler is able to markedly improve the mechanical strength and wear resistance of PA6 matrix. However, the tensile strength of PA6/Cu/A containing 0.5 % (mass fraction) copper nanowire is larger than that of pure PA6 by 77.41 % that was super to PA6/Cu/B by 45.16 %; and their friction coefficient and wear scar diameter are also much smaller than those of PA6 matrix.