MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PP SPECIMENS WITH GRAPHITE NANOPLATELETS AND GRAPHITE

A mechanical characterization of polymer nanocomposites based on polypropylene and containing graphite nanoplatelets before and after the mechanical damage is presented. Results are compared to the ones on pristine PP as well as to a commercial PP/graphite microcomposite. Static monotonic tensile and flexural tests, creep and relaxation tests, thermal conductivity tests are performed before and after specimens undergoing fatigue axial loading. SEM and optical microscope analysis completed the investigation. Samples are flat injection-moulded dogbone shaped. Results showed that, for these materials, mechanical properties and corresponding parameters can be modified by the fatigue damag