Natural silica fiber as reinforcing filler of nylon 6

Short silica fiber (SF) content on the mechanical and morphological proper-ties of composites based on nylon 6 and rubber-toughened nylon 6 matrices was examined Binary nylon 6/SF and ternary I nylon 6/EPDM-g-MA (ethylene-propylene-diene grafted with maleic anhydride)/SF] composites containing 0-20 wt% SF were formulated. The flexural modulus increased with the SF content at all fiber compositions investigated: however, the value of this property gradually diminished when 20 wt% rubber was added to the polymer. Notched Izod impact strength of 80120 nylon 6/EPDM-g-MA blend was reduced up to 50% with the addition of 5 wt% SF. However. these composites still retained good stiffness and toughness and presented a good interfacial adhesion between the phases. The results suggest that silica fibers can be employed as an alternative reinforcement of nylon 6 matrices, resulting in materials with useful properties (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved