Effect Of Multiwalled Carbon

Nanotubes (MWCNT) on
polyhdroxybutyrate nanocomposites

By Mihir Kr. Mech

(150107034)
Under The Guidance of:- G.Pugazhenthi
Department of Chemical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati 
INTRODUCTION(Regarding CNT{Carbon Nanotubes})

 Carbon Nanotubes are allotropes of carbon in a cylindrical shape

form.
 They are used in  nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other
fields of materials science and technology
 Nanotubes are the members of the fullerene structural family.

Wang et. al. 2009

Properties Of Carbon Nanotubes
 CNTs have high thermal conductivity
 CNTs have high electrical conductivity
 CNTs are very elastic ~18% elongation to failure
 CNTs have very high tensile strength
 CNTs are highly flexible — can be bent considerably without damage
 CNTs have a low thermal expansion coefficient
 CNTs are good electron field emitters
 Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)
 PHB is produced by microorganisms (like Cupriavidus
necator,Bacillus megaterium etc.) seemingly in response to
conditions of physiological stress; mainly conditions in which
nutrients are limited.

 The polymer is primarily a product of carbon assimilation

(from glucose or starch) and is engaged by microorganisms as a
form of energy storage molecule to be metabolized when other
common energy sources are not available.
 Properties Of PHB
Water-insoluble and relatively resistant to hydrolytic degradation
Good oxygen permeability
Good ultra-violet resistance but poor resistance to acids and bases.
Soluble in chloroform and other chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Biocompatible and hence is suitable for medical applications
Melting point 175 °C., and glass transition temperature 2 °C.
Tensile strength 40 MPA
Sinks in water
Not Toxic
Nanocomposites
Nanocomposite is a multiphase solid material where one of
the phases has dimensions of less than 100 nanometers (nm),
or structures having Nano-scale repeat distances between the
different phases that make up the material.
Polymer nanocomposites (PNC) consist of
a polymer or copolymer having nanoparticles or nanofillers
dispersed in the polymer matrix
The idea behind Nanocomposite is to use building blocks
with dimensions in nanometer range to design and create new
materials with unprecedented flexibility and improvement in
their physical properties.
With an estimated annual growth rate of about 25% and
fastest demand to be in engineering plastics and elastomers,
their potential is so outstanding that they are useful in several
areas ranging from packaging to biomedical applications
Objectives of the experiment:-
1) Preparation of PHB by MWCNT nanocomposites using
simple solution casting technique
2) Thermal characterisation of the prepared nanocomposites
using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and
Thermo Gravimetry Analysis (TGA).
3) Mechanical characterisation of the prepared nanocomposites
4) Biodegradation of prepared nanocomposites in the natural
environment
Preparation of CNT-PHB Nanocomposites
DSC ANALYSIS
 Differential scanning calorimetry, or DSC, is a thermoanalytical technique in
which the difference in the amount of heat required to increase
the temperature of a sample and reference is measured as a function of
temperature.

 Both the sample and reference are maintained at nearly the same temperature
throughout the experiment. Generally, the temperature program for a DSC
analysis is designed such that the sample holder temperature increases linearly
as a function of time. The reference sample should have a well-defined heat
capacity over the range of temperatures to be scanned.

Chen et.al. 2014

Liang et.al. 2016
Differential Scanning Calorimeter
Results And Discussion

 This unimodal endotherm peak shows the absence of heterogeneous passage of crystal and
uniform crystal thickness created after reinforcement of MWCNT.

 These results indicate that the MWCNT is an excellent nucleating agent for improving T m
in nanocomposites.
 Increase in Tm
with Gr-NPs

Tan et.al.
2014

 It was observed that 0.7% of MWCNT as the optimum concentration, and at this
concentration a 10-degree Celsius increase in melting point was observed in comparison
with the pristine PHB.
 Orderly arrangement of MWCNTs Agglomeration of MWCNTs

Xu et.al.2015

 Beyond 0.7% of MWCNT in the PHB matrix, the melting point found to decrease
portraying the agglomeration effect on the prepared nanocomposites.
Conclusion

 The present thesis portrays the significance of a completely

biodegradable polymer in comparison with other petroleum
polymers.

 MWCNT based polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) nanocomposites

were prepared using simple solution cast technique.

 It was observed that the melting point increased with increase in

MWCNT concentration. However, beyond 0.7% the melting point
found to decrease portraying the agglomeration effect.

 Therefore, it was observed that 0.7% of MWCNT as the optimum

concentration, and at this concentration a 10-degree Celsius
increase in melting point was observed in comparison with the
pristine PHB.

 Further, mechanical characterization is warranted to show the

potential of PHB in real-time applications.
Timeline

Thermal characterization
of prepared
nanocomposites Biodegradation of
Literature nanocomposites
survey

Jul- Aug Sep - Oct Nov - Dec Mar Thesis

Jan - Feb
preparation

Spectral and mechanical

characterization of
Nanocomposite prepared nanocomposites
preparation
References
• Wang, X., Li, Q., Xie, J., Jin, Z., Wang, J., Li, Y., ... & Fan, S. (2009).
Fabrication of ultralong and electrically uniform single-walled carbon
nanotubes on clean substrates. Nano letters, 9(9), 3137-3141.

• Chen, Q., & Zhang, L. H. (2014). Study on synthesis of PHB by

moderate halophile and aqueous extraction of PHB. In Applied
Mechanics and Materials (Vol. 448, pp. 160-163). Trans Tech
Publications.
• Xu, J. Z., Zhang, Z. J., Xu, H., Chen, J. B., Ran, R., & Li, Z. M. (2015).
Highly enhanced crystallization kinetics of poly (l-lactic acid) by poly
(ethylene glycol) grafted graphene oxide simultaneously as
heterogeneous nucleation agent and chain mobility
promoter. Macromolecules, 48(14), 4891-4900.

• Jiang, L., Liow, S. S., & Loh, X. J. (2016). Synthesis of a new poly ([R]-
3-hydroxybutyrate) RAFT agent. Polymer Chemistry, 7(9), 1693-1700.

• Tan, C. P., & Nehdi, I. A. (2014). DSC analysis of vegetable oils:

Relationship between thermal profiles and chemical composition.
In Differential Scanning Calorimetry (pp. 22-45). CRC Press.
Thank You!