Improvement of the mechanical and damping behavior of nylon by integration of nanoclay platelets

Nylon is used as a gear material thanks to its beneficial characteristics, such as self-lubrication, noiseless and fail-safe operation. Poor resistance to heat, dimensional stability, shock and impact loads are major drawbacks of nylon when used in engineering applications. The addition of a nanofiller to a nylon matrix can enhance its mechanical and vibrational properties. Montmorillonite nanoclay (Cloisite 15 A, Cloisite 20 A and Cloisite 30B) modified with ammonium salt was incorporated into the Nylon 6 matrix by solution mixing and melt mixing. Nanoclay with 1, 2 and 3 wt.-% were added to the nylon matrix and the resulting mechanical and free vibration characteristics were determined. The experimental results of the mechanical and free vibration behavior were compared with the ANSYS results. Tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, specific strength, specific stiffness, natural frequency and damping factor were found to increase as the weight percentage of the nanoclay in the nylon matrix increased. Cloisite 30B nanocomposite shows better mechanical and free vibration characteristics when compared with pure Nylon 6, Cloisite 15 A and Cloisite 20 A nanocomposites. The Cloisite 30B nano-composite was prepared with 2 wt.-% shows maximum mechanical and free vibration performance.