INTERNATIONALJOURNALOFAPPLIEDENGINEERINGRESEARCH,DINDIGUL

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EnhancementofImpactresistancepropertyofNylon6bytheadditionof
Casio3 asafillermaterial

MithunVKulkarni1,Elangovan.K2,HemachandraReddy.K3,PrakashJN4
1Researchscholar,JNTUCollegeofEngineering,Anantapur515002,AP,India
2AssistantProfessor,CambridgeInstituteofTechnology,Bangalore560036,Karnataka,
India
3Professor,DepartmentofMechanicalEngineering,JNTUCollegeofEngineering,
Anantapur515002,AndhraPradesh,India
4Professor,DepartmentofMechanicalEngineering,EastWestInstituteoftechnology,
Bangalore560091,Karnataka,India
kulkarni.mithun@hotmail.com
ABSTRACT
Impactresistanceisoneofthemostimportantpropertiesforcomponentdesignerstoconsider,
aswellasthemostdifficulttoquantify.Impactresistanceisacriticalmeasureofservicelife
and more importantly these days, it involves the perplexing problem of product safety and
liability.TheaimofthispaperistounderstandtheinfluenceofCasio3 (CalciumSilicate)on
the impactpropertiesofPolyamides(Nylon6)and itscomposites.TheNylon6 isreinforced
with varying percentages (1%, 3% and 5%) of Casio3. The drop weight impact tests were
conducted on the samples at different drop heights of 320 mm, 620 mm, 1000 mm and
different drop weights of 0.89 kg, 1.395 kg and 2.33 kg. Impact measurement under the
abovesaidconditionsforthematerialsA,B,CandDindicatedthattheadditionof Casio3led
toasignificantimprovementintheimpactstrengthofthepolyamides.
Keywords: Droptest,Polyamides,Nylon6,Impact,Calciumsilicate,Fillers
1.Introduction
Theimpactenergyofamaterialistheamountofenergyrequiredtofractureagivenvolume
ofthematerial(Bows,J.R.1999).Therefore,theimpactstrengthofamaterialistheenergy
requiredtoinitiateandpropagateacrackthroughthematerial.Thecrackpropagationenergy
isrelatedtothetoughnessofthematerialandthelengthofthatcracktipthatmusttravelin
ordertofractureacomponent.Thismeansthelowerthevalueoftheimpactenergythemore
brittle the material behaves (Askeland, D.R. 1998). Impact tests are frequently used in
studyingdynamicbehaviorofmaterialsaswellasstructures,e.g.crashworthinessofvehicles,
dynamic constitutive behavior of structural materials and impact performance of vehicle
components. Impact performance can be one of the most important properties for a
componentdesignertoconsiderandalsothe mostdifficulttoquantify,Impacttestsallow
designers to compare the relative impact resistance under controlled laboratory conditions
and,consequently,areoftenusedformaterialselectionorqualitycontrol.Traditionalimpact
tests evaluate the energy required to cause failure, however they do not provide good
information about mechanism or natureof failure, such as brittle or ductile failure, because
thesetestsaregenerallynotinstrumentedtomeasurestressandstraininthespecimenduring
the test, moreover, finished components can have very different impact performance
characteristics than raw material specimens. Lowvelocity impact has been an important

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study in material characterization (Handbookof Polymer Testing ShortTerm Mechanical

Tests),duetoitscommonoccurrenceintherealworld.Asanefficientwaytoperformlow
velocity impact tests, dropweight impact testing machines have been commonly used.
However,becauseofthelimitofthedropheight,theimpactvelocityproducedbythedrop
weightimpacttestingmachinesisusuallylessthan10m/s(GuojingLiandDahsinLiu.,2008).
Inrecentyears,avarietyoffillershavebeeninvestigatedforreinforcementofthermoplastic
polymers (Ulrich A. Handge , Katrin HedickeHchsttter , Volker Altstdt. ., 2010). The
impact properties of polyamide blends have been influenced by the addition of fibers and
calciumsilicate,asignificantinfluenceinthechangeofmechanicalpropertieshasalsobeen
observed(Gnatowski,Jand Koszkul.,2005).Polyamideshavebeenphysically modified by
filling them with powder mineralfillers like talc, graphite, molybdenum disulphide, barium
sulphate (VI) and titanium white. In the present work, a vertical drop weight impact test
machine has been used to study the influence of Casio3 (Calcium Silicate) on the impact
propertiesofPolyamides(Nylon6)anditscomposites.TheNylon6isreinforcedwithvarying
percentages(1%,3%and5%)ofCasio3 (CalciumSilicate).Thetestswereconductedonthe
samplesatdifferentdropheightsof320mm,620mm,1000mmanddifferentdropweights
of0.89kg,1.395kgand2.33kg.
2.Experimental
2.1MaterialsandSamplePreparation
Thematerials/samplesandthesamplepreparationmethodshavebeendescribedinTable1.
The materials under study were classified into four types viz., Material A, Material B,
MaterialCandMaterialD.Atotalof36specimenswereusedfortesting.
Table1:Thematerials/samplesandthesamplepreparationmethods
SampleCode
MaterialA
MaterialB
MaterialC
MaterialD

MaterialsunderStudy
Nylon6
Nylon6+1%Casio3
Nylon6+3%Casio3
Nylon6+5%Casio3

MethodofSamplePreparation
InjectionMolding
InjectionMolding
InjectionMolding
InjectionMolding

Nylon 6 pellets procured from M/s Sarvodaya polymers, Bangalore, India were used to
preparetheMaterialAspecimensandNylon6alongwith1%,3%and5%Casio3 wereused
to prepare Material B, C, and D specimens. The Specimens were prepared by heating the
pellets in the barrel of an injection molding machine. The temperature was set at 1000 C
initiallyfor30minutesandassoonastheflowofthematerialstartedfromthenozzleofthe
injectionmoldingmachine,thetemperatureofthebarrelwasreducedto600 C.Inthemean
timethemoldwasalsocleanedandpreheated.Theliquefiedmaterialwastheninjectedinto
the mold and thus the samples were prepared . The prepared specimens were of 50mm x
50mmx4mmdimensions.
2.2ImpactTest
Impact test was conducted as per ASTM D5628 on four different types of specimens as
summarizedinTable1,usingaverticaldropweighttestingmachine.Parameterslikemassof

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hammer, impact energy (drop heightof hammer) were varied, butthe shape of hammer tip
waskeptconstant.TheDropheightusedinthetestwere320mm,620mmand1000mmand
dropweightsusedwereof0.89kg, 1.395kgand2.33kg.
3.ResultsandDiscussions
All the samples were tested for different drop weights and drop heights. The data was
recordedforeachsamplethesamplesunderstudywereclassifiedintoA,B,CandD(Table
1).ThedartortheImpactorwasdroppedfromtheheightof320mm,620mm,1000mmand
the drop weights used were of 0.89 kg, 1.395 kg, and 2.33 kg. For Different Drop weights
andheightstheEnergyduetofallingdrop,E1,wascalculatedaccordingtothekineticenergy
relation(KE=0.5mv2).Asafirststepinthisresearchworktheimpacttestwasconductedon
Nylon6andthetestresultswererecordedinTable2.Next,theNylon6wasreinforcedwith
1%,3%and5%ofCasio3asafillermaterial.Thedropweightimpacttestwasconductedon
thesespecimensanditwasobservedthattheE3(Energyabsorbedbythematerial)valueof
materialB,CandDhadincreasedincomparisonwithmaterialA(Figures4,5,6).Theusage
of Casio3 as a filler material to improve the toughness of Nylon6 had served the
purpose. %E3 for the materials A, B, C, D were found to be 59.39%, 64.37%, 68.42%,
72.44%fromthetables2,3,4,5respectively.i.e.,anincreaseof8.38%,15.24%and21.97%
wereobservedinmaterialB,CandDrespectivelyincomparisonwithmaterialA.Similarly,
Energy due to impact load, E2, of materials A, B, C, D were 105.46, 107.42, 118.7 and
145.18Joulesrespectively.NosubstantialincreaseinE2wasfoundinmaterialBincontrast
tomaterialA,butanincreaseof37.6%E2wasfoundinmaterialDincontrasttomaterialA.
Increase in E2 and E3 indicated that the impact property of Nylon6 improved with the
additionofCasio3.
Table2:ImpactTestresultforMaterialA(Nylon6)
DropHeight,
mm
Mass,Kg ImpactSpeed,m/s E1,J
2.8
320
0.89
2.51
4.4
320
1.395
2.51
7.3
320
2.33
2.51
5.4
620
0.89
3.49
8.5
620
1.395
3.49
14.2
620
2.33
3.49
8.7
1000
0.89
4.43
13.7
1000
1.395
4.43
22.8
1000
2.33
4.43

ImpactLoad,
Kg
1.55
2.25
4.5
2.3
3.4
5.4
3.2
6.45
10.75

E2,J
4.87
7.06
14.13
13.99
20.68
32.84
31.39
63.27
105.46

E3,J
2.07
2.66
6.83
8.59
12.18
18.64
22.69
49.57
82.66

%E3
42.45
37.70
48.32
61.40
58.90
56.76
72.29
78.35
78.38

E3,J
3.45
4.86
8.08
7.07
11.87
23.81

%E3
55.18
52.49
52.54
56.69
58.28
62.64

Table3:ImpactTestDataforMaterialB(Nylon6+1%Casio3)
DropHeight,
mm
Mass,Kg ImpactSpeed,m/s E1,J
2.8
320
0.89
2.51
4.4
320
1.395
2.51
7.3
320
2.33
2.51
5.4
620
0.89
3.49
8.5
620
1.395
3.49
14.2
620
2.33
3.49

ImpactLoad,
Kg
1.99
2.95
4.9
2.05
3.35
6.25

E2,J
6.25
9.26
15.38
12.47
20.37
38.01

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1000
1000
1000

0.89
1.395
2.33

ISSN 09764259

4.43
4.43
4.43

8.7
13.7
22.8

4.5
7.95
10.95

44.14
77.99
107.42

35.44
64.29
84.62

80.29
82.43
78.77

E3,J
3.79
5.17
9.18
9.20
33.77
38.11
18.77
70.17
95.90

%E3
57.53
54.04
55.70
63.01
79.89
72.85
68.33
83.67
80.79

E3,J
4.58
6.27
21.89
15.89
17.96
65.17
29.56
31.92
122.3
8

%E3
62.04
58.77
74.99
74.63
67.87
82.11
77.26
69.97

Table4:ImpactTestDataforMaterialC(Nylon6+3%Casio3)
DropHeight,
mm
Mass,Kg ImpactSpeed,m/s E1,J
2.8
320
0.89
2.51
4.4
320
1.395
2.51
7.3
320
2.33
2.51
5.4
620
0.89
3.49
8.5
620
1.395
3.49
14.2
620
2.33
3.49
8.7
1000
0.89
4.43
13.7
1000
1.395
4.43
22.8
1000
2.33
4.43

ImpactLoad,
Kg
2.1
3.05
5.25
2.4
6.95
8.6
2.8
8.55
12.1

E2,J
6.59
9.57
16.48
14.60
42.27
52.31
27.47
83.87
118.70

Table5:ImpactTestDataformaterialD(Nylon6+5%Casio3)
DropHeight,
mm
Mass,Kg ImpactSpeed,m/s E1,J
2.8
320
0.89
2.51
4.4
320
1.395
2.51
7.3
320
2.33
2.51
5.4
620
0.89
3.49
8.5
620
1.395
3.49
14.2
620
2.33
3.49
8.7
1000
0.89
4.43
13.7
1000
1.395
4.43
22.8
1000
2.33
4.43

ImpactLoad,
Kg
2.35
3.4
9.3
3.5
4.35
13.05
3.9
4.65

E2,J
7.38
10.67
29.19
21.29
26.46
79.37
38.26
45.62

14.8

145.18

84.30

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Figure4:ImpactLoadonMaterialsA,B,C,andDfor320mmdropheightandvarying
dropweights

Figure5:ImpactLoadonMaterialsA,B,C,andDfor620mmdropheightandvarying
dropweights

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Figure6:ImpactLoadonMaterialsA,B,C,andDfor1000mmdropheightandvarying
dropweights
4.Conclusions
LowvelocityImpacttestwasconductedsuccessfullyonfourdifferentmaterialsviz.,Nylon6,
Nylon6+1%Casio3,Nylon6+3%Casio3 andNylon6+5%Casio3.Acomparisonofimpact
values was made in between these materials. The tests showed that under the drop weight
impact, the Casio3 reinforced materials exhibited a good improved Impact resistance. The
highaspectratioofCasio3wasakeyfactorinimprovingthemechanicalperformanceofthe
compositesofNylon6andCasio3,thishighaspectratioreducesthemobilityofthepolymer
chainstherebyincreasingtheimpactresistance.Also,withtheincreaseinCasio3 percentage,
the adhesion of the matrix onto the mineral particles increases thus reducing the air gaps
whichrepresentthepointof zerostrength.
5.References
1. A. Gnatowski, J. Koszkul (2005), investigations of the influence of filler on the
properties of chosen polymer blends with compatibilizer addition, 13th International
Scientific Conference on Achievements in Mechanical and Materials Engineering.,
Gliwice,Poland.
2. Askeland, D.R (1998),the Science and Engineering of Materials, 3rd edn, pp. 163
164,StanleyThornes,USA.

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3. Bows, J.R (1999), variable Frequency Microwave Heating of Food, Journal of

MicrowavePowerandElectromagneticEnergy,34(4),pp227238.
4. GuojingLiandDahsinLiu(2008),anInstrumentedFreeProjectileforLowvelocity
ImpactTesting,ProceedingsoftheXIthInternationalCongressandExpositionJune
25,Orlando,FloridaUSA
5. Roger Brown (2002), handbook of Polymer Testing ShortTerm Mechanical Tests,
RapraTechnologyLimited,
6. Ulrich A. Handge, Katrin HedickeHchsttter , Volker Altstdt (2010), composites
of polyamide 6 and silicate nanotubes of the mineral halloysite: Influence of
molecularweightonthermal,mechanicalandrheologicalproperties.Polymer,51,pp
26902699

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