The Effect of Moisture Content on the Tensile Behaviour of Polyamide 6 Nanocomposites

Polymers and their composites offer high strength-to-weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. However, they have a good affinity towards moisture and the absorbed moisture affects their mechanical behaviour. This article discusses the tensile behaviour of polyamide 6 nanocomposite containing different levels of absorbed water. The absorption of water influences the tensile strength, tensile modulus, and fracture morphology of the polyamide 6 nanocomposites. Although crystallinity increases due to the absorption of water, the modulus and tensile strength were found to be decreasing because of the plasticization effect, which overcomes the effect of marginal increase in crystallinity.