Evaluation of mechanical and thermal properties of Poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT) composites reinforced with wollastonite

Particulate filled polymer composites are becoming attractive because of their wide applications and low cost. Present study deals with the preparation and characterization of PBT/wollastomte composites and analyzing the effect of incorporation of varying concentration of wollastonite on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of PBT thermoplastic composite for future industrial applications. In the composites wollastonite content was varied by 0-30 % by weight. Tensile strength exhibited a marginal increase whereas a dramatic increase was observed in modulus with an increase in filler content. The experimental results were also compared with theoretical predictions which revealed good level of interfacial interaction in the composites. Thermal analysis revealed an increase in percent crystallinity and also the onset crystallization temperature thereby indicating the nucleating efficiency of wollastonite. Study of the fracture surface by SEM revealed a change in the micromechanical deformation process with an increase in filler content.