Effect of the elongational flow on morphology and properties of nanocomposites containing LDHs

In this work, the effect of the elongational flow on the morphology and properties of PP-based nanocomposites containing Mg-Al hydrotalcites modified with stearate or oleate functional groups has been investigated. The mechanical characterization of the produced nanocomposite fibers indicated a progressive enhancement of the tensile strength as a function of the draw ratio. The obtained results were ascribed to the ability of the elongational flow in inducing a preferential orientation of both polymer chains and embedded fillers along the fiber direction. Furthermore, morphological analyses pointed out an enhancement of the state of dispersion of the embedded fillers in the nanocomposite fibers, demonstrating the beneficial effect of the elongational flow in promoting microstructural evolution in polymer-based complex systems.