Biodegradable magnetic polymer nanocomposite based on natural nanotubes

(Investigator: M. Škrátek)

Biodegradable polymer nanocomposites represent a promising group of plastics usable for various bio- and enviro-friendly applications, such as drug carriers or biological plastics with shape memory. Polymers are generally electrically non-conductive and non-magnetic materials. Natural Halloyzite nanotubes (HNT) modified with iron oxide nanoparticles were used to improve the mechanical properties of the polymeric material. When researching such nanocomposites, it is important to know the concentration of magnetic nanoparticles and their magnetic properties. It has been found that modifying HNT with iron nanoparticles produces a superparamagnetic substance with scalable saturation magnetization. The resulting polymer / modified HTN composite material can be classified as a magnetically soft substance and the presence of magnetized HNT clearly has a positive effect on its mechanical properties.
The results were achieved in cooperation with the following workplaces:
• Department of Plastics, Rubber and Fibers (ÚPSP FCFT) in Bratislava
• Regional Center for Advanced Technologies and Materials, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
• Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic

Related projects:
• VEGA 2/0152/13

 

Publication:

KHUNOVÁ, V. – ŠAFAŘÍK, I. – ŠKRÁTEK, Martin – KELNAR, I. – TOMANOVÁ, K. Biodegradable polymer nanocomposites based on natural nanotubes: Effect of magnetically modified halloysite on the behaviour of polycaprolactone. In Clay Minerals, 2016, vol. 51, no. 3, p. 435-444. ISSN 0009-8558. (0.874-IF2015).