Nucleation ability of advanced functional silica/lignin hybrid fillers in polypropylene composites

Novel advanced functional silica/lignin hybrid fillers were synthesized for the purpose of their application in composites with polypropylene. The use of lignin for the production of hybrid fillers is justified due to the advantages such as reduction in cost of products, improvement in biodegradability as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The study encompasses an analysis of the dispersive and morphological properties of the hybrid fillers, and investigations of phase transitions and the supermolecular structure of the composites by means of differential scanning calorimetry, polarized light microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. The nucleation activity of the hybrid fillers was found to be strongly correlated with the chemical composition of the fillers, and their dispersive properties and porous structure characteristics. Furthermore, the particle size and area surface of the hybrid fillers play an important role in the development of polymorphic varieties of the polypropylene matrix. The study also discusses the mechanism of the formation of the beta-PP variety and the transcrystalline structure in the context of the nucleation ability of the hybrid fillers. The investigations are very significant because they address the impact of the actual physicochemical parameters of the hybrid fillers on the nucleation ability and structure of composite materials.