A Study on Tribological Properties of Polypropylene Nanocomposites Reinforced with Pretreated HNTs

The polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites filled with pretreated halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were prepared by the melt-blending method. Before filling, the as-received HNTs powder was at first purified and then modified. The characterization tests showed that the purified HNTs had less impurity and more uniform pore size distribution and the surface hydrophobicity of the modified HNTs was obviously improved. The mechanical and tribological properties of the PP/HNTs nanocomposites were extensively investigated. The results showed that the tensile, bending and notched impact strength of the PP/HNTs nanocomposites was somewhat improved, but the wear resistance of the PP/HNTs nanocomposites was obviously enhanced.