CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORKS
6.2. Recommendations for Further Work
The outcomes from this research study show there is a need for further work on the following issues:
The optimum conditions for the Banbury and Sigma rotors were not found inside the processing boundaries used in this study. Further work should be undertaken, with wider boundaries, to identify the optimum settings for these rotors. A better understanding of influence of rotor design on optimum processing conditions would assist with development of optimized nanocomposite properties.
The impact strength of the HDPE nanocomposites produced in this study was poor. Further work is needed to improve the impact strength of HDPE nanocomposites. Some suggestions to improve this property are by controlling particle size variation or clay modification.
This study focused on process variables rather than formulation, as many studies have been undertaken on formulation. However, both process and material composition (especially filler/compatibiliser level and ratio) should be optimized to minimize the cost and environmental impact. Hence further work on formulation – in conjunction with process variables – is recommended.
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