1. Performance of PP composites silicone additives
Silicone additives, as an additive, are widely used to improve the scratch resistance of automotive polypropylene (PP) composites. Polypropylene has been widely used in the automotive industry due to its lightweight, good chemical resistance, balanced physical and mechanical properties, and easy recyclability. However, the scratch resistance of PP material is relatively poor, and it is prone to scratches caused by collisions with hard objects during production, transportation, and use, which affects its appearance and performance.
2. Function of PP composites silicone additives
Research has shown that the addition of silicone additives can significantly improve the scratch resistance of PP composite materials. By observing the scratch surface and cross-sectional morphology using a laser scanning confocal microscope , it was found that the addition of silicone masterbatch reduced the strength, rigidity, and surface hardness of the material, but there was a consistent relationship between Rockwell hardness and tensile strength. In addition, the addition of silicone MB also changed the friction coefficient and color difference value (Δ L) of PP composite materials, thereby improving their scratch resistance.
Specifically, ultra-high molecular weight modified polysiloxane, as an effective component of silicone additives, has the most significant improvement in the scratch resistance of PP composite materials, and has the least adverse effect on the mechanical properties and appearance of the composite materials.
The experimental results show that when 2%~3% of ultra-high molecular weight modified polysiloxane silicone masterbatch DX8502 is added, the scratch performance difference of PP composite material can be stabilized below 1.0, significantly improving the scratch resistance of the material.
silicone additives effectively enhance the scratch resistance of PP composite materials by improving their surface properties, which has important practical significance for applications such as automotive interior parts. By selecting the appropriate types and amounts of silicone MB, PP composite materials with excellent scratch resistance can be obtained without sacrificing other material properties.
