In-situ preparation of novel composites of PMMA and Aluminum Carbide (Al₄C₃), investigation of thermal behavior and mechanical strength

Aluminum Carbide is a blocky lath-shaped brownish powder with unique properties such as wettability and being a reducing agent. Due to its outstanding characteristics, its usage has recently attracted attention in metallurgy and catalysts. Ultrasonic waves were utilized to maximize the interactions between the Al₄C₃ (as filler) and polymer matrix. A series of composite films based on polymethyl methacrylate and Al₄C₃ were synthesized via in-situ polymerization. Several methods and instruments such as Field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to characterize the samples, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and DIN procedure were used to evaluate the thermal properties and mechanical strength of the samples, respectively. The XRD data confirmed the presence of Al₄C₃ in the structure of the composite and the successful fabrication of the PMMA- Al₄C₃ composites. The FE-SEM images showed that by adding fillers into the matrix, the surface of the composites became rougher. Also, this observation revealed a cubical shape of the Al₄C₃ filler, which was later confirmed in TEM images. The data of TGA has shown that the more Al₄C₃ enters the matrix, the thermal resistance of the composites increases. The elongation at break and the elastic modulus of the PMMA-Al₄C₃ 6wt% were the highest among all the other composites. Therefore, incorporating the filler improved the mechanical strength of the composites.