Structural and Thermal Examinations of Polyamide Modified with Fly Ash from Biomass Combustion

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomass Energy

Background:

• Polyamide (PA6) is a versatile polymer with distinct crystalline and amorphous regions.
• Fly ash from biomass combustion is a potential filler material for polymer composites.
• Understanding filler-matrix interactions is crucial for developing advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the structure and crystallinity of PA6 composites modified with biomass fly ash.
• To determine the effect of varying fly ash content (5, 10, 15 wt%) on PA6 properties.
• To characterize the phase behavior and microstructure of the resulting composites.

Main Methods:

• Fourier-transform infrared with attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) for chemical structure identification.
• Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for thermal analysis and crystallinity assessment.
• Microscopic examinations, including scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), for microstructural and elemental analysis.

Main Results:

• Fly ash addition significantly reduced the degree of crystallinity in PA6 composites.
• The alpha-phase was identified as the dominant crystalline phase in all studied materials.
• Microscopic analysis revealed fly ash particle sizes typically ranging from a few to tens of micrometers, with SEM-EDS providing elemental distribution data.

Conclusions:

• Biomass fly ash incorporation into PA6 matrix lowers its overall crystallinity.
• The α-phase remains the primary crystalline structure, indicating structural stability despite modification.
• The study provides insights into the microstructural and chemical characteristics of PA6-fly ash composites for potential applications.