Effect of filler content, size, aspect ratio and morphology on thermal, morphological and permeability properties of porous talc filled-Polypropylene obtained through MEAUS process

Several commercial grades of talc were selected to develop polypropylene based microporous membranes through MEAUS process (melt extrusion-annealing-uniaxial strain). Talc commercial grades differed in particle size, aspect ratio, and crystalline morphology. Different filler percentages were added to polypropylene (1, 5, 10 wt.%) Parameters such as draw ratio during extrusion, annealing temperature strain rate, and strain extension were kept as constant to analyze the effect of the talc characteristics and content of the obtained membranes. Small particle size and high aspect ratio tend to provide membranes with small pore size, high porous area, and high Gurley permeability values.