• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2006

In the present work, low density polyethylene (LDPE)/aliphatic polyester (APES)/organoclay ternary nanocomposites were prepared. In particular, the effect of a compatibilizer, polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MAH), on the morphology and properties of the ternary nanocomposites was investigated. LDPE/APES/organoclay nanocomposites were prepared through melt intercalation method using two different kinds of organoclay. The dispersibility of silicate clays in the nanocomposites was investigated by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The ternary nanocomposites showed higher tensile properties than the LDPE/APES blend did. The dispersibility and properties of nanocomposites containing Cloisite 30B were better than those of the nanocomposites containing Cloisite 20A. Unlike Cloisite 20A, hydroxyl groups in the intercalants in Cloisite 30B interlayer underwent a certain polar interaction with the carboxyl group of APES, favoring the intercalation of APES chains and the formation of LDPE/APES/Closite 30B nanocomposites. However, the introduction of the polar hydroxyl groups also enhanced the interaction with the silicate surface at the same time, thereby rendering somewhat difficult the replacement of the surface contacts by LDPE chains, and impeding the extensive intercalation and further exfoliation of Cloisite 30B in the LDPE/APES matrix. The compatibilizer enhanced the intercalation of the polymer chain inside the clay gallery and thus improved the mechanical properties of the ternary nanocomposites. Rheological measurements of the nanocomposites via frequency sweep experiment indicated a certain interaction between the clay platelet and the polymer molecules in the melted state.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.85-105
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• 2006

Poly(lactic acid) is a linear aliphatic thermoplastic polyester, produced by the ring-opening polymerization of lactides and the lactic acid monomers, which are obtained from the fermentation of sugar feed stocks, corn, etc. PLA has high mechanical, thermal plasticity, fabric-ability, and biocompatibility, So PLA is a promising polymer far various end-use applications. In recent time, the intercalation of polymers from either solution or the melt in the silicate galleries of clay is the best technique to prepare nanocompoiste material which often exhibit remarkable improvement of mechanical, thermal, optical and physicochemical properties when compared with the pure polymer or conventional composites. Layered silicate is naturally abundant, economic, and more importantly benign to the environment.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.399-406
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• 2000

A thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) containing a flexible spacer was synthesized from hydroquinone, p-hydrofybenzoic acid, and 1,6-dibromohexane. Intercalation of TLCP in layered clays is accomplished by heating the polymer with dodecyl ammonium-montmorillonite (C$_{12}$-MMT) above melt transition temperature (T$_{m}$). Liquid crystallinity of the TLCP/C$_{12}$-MMT hybrid was not observed when $C_{12}$-MMT content was above 1 wt%. Some of the $C_{12}$-MMTs in TLCP were highly dispersed in a nanometer scale, but some of them were agglomerated. Thermal and morphological properties of the nanocomposites were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), polarized optical microscope, and electron microscopes (SEM and TEM). TEM).

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.4A
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• pp.761-766
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• 2006

Polymer composite are increasingly considered as structural components for use in civil engineering, on account of their enhanced strength-to-weight ratios. Unsaturated polyester (UP) resin have been widely used for the matrix of composites such as FRP and polymer composite, due to its excellent adhesive. Polymer nanocomposites are new class of composites derived from the nano scale inorganic particles with dimensions typically in the range of 1 to 1000 nm that are dispersed in the polymer matrix homogeneously. Owing to the high aspect ratio of the fillers, mechanical, thermal, flame, retardant and barrier properties are enhanced without significant loss of clarity, toughness or impact strength. To prepare the MMT (Montmorillonite)-UP exfoliated nanocomposites, UP was mixed with MMT at $60^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours by using pan mixer. XRD (X-ray diffraction) pattern of the composites and TEM (Transmission Electron Micrographs) showed that the interlayer spacing of the modified MMT were exfoliated in polymer matrix. The mechanical properties also supported these findings, since in general, tensile strength, modulus with modified MMT were higher than those of the composites with unmodified MMT. The thermal stability of MMT-UP nanocomposite is better than that of pure UP, and its glass transition temperature is higher than that of pure UP. The polymer concrete made with MMT-UP nanocomposite has better mechanical properties than of pure UP. Therefore, it is suggested that strength and elastic modulus of polymer concrete was found to be positively tensile strength and tensile modulus of the MMT-UP nanocomposites.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.232-239
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• 2014

Poly(lactic acid)(PLA) nanocomposites containing various nanofillers were synthesized using the solution intercalation method. Organically modified bentonite clay (NSE), octadecylamine-graphene oxide (ODA-GO), and an NSE/ODA-GO complex were utilized as nanofillers in the fabrication of PLA hybrid films. PLA hybrid films with varying nanofiller contents in the range of 0-10 wt% were examined and compared in terms of their thermomechanical properties, morphologies, and oxygen permeabilities. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that most of the NSE and ODA-GO nanofillers were dispersed homogeneously throughout the PLA matrix on the nanoscale, although some agglomerate NSE/ODA-GO complex particles were also formed. Among the three nanofillers for PLA hybrid films, the NSE/ODA-GO complex showed the best improvement in film thermal stability. In contrast, NSE and ODA-GO exhibited the best improvement in tensile mechanical properties and oxygen barrier properties of the PLA hybrid films, respectively.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.492-497
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• 2006

The epoxy composites are prepared with mixing temperature of epoxy/montmorillonite (MMT) melt master batch and the dielectric properties of the composites are also compared with intercalation of MMT. The exfoliation mainly occurrs iii the low content of MMT composites, while in the composites with high content of MMT the interspacing distance increases as the mixing temperature of epoxy/MMT master batch is increased. Class transition temperature of the composite which the MMT are effectively exfoliated is increased with the appropriate postcuring condition. Since the orientation polarization of dipoles in the epoxy molecules is restricted by the clay nanolayers exfoliated, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the composites are reduced. Furthermore, the dielectric properties could be improved by controling the mixing temperature and time of epoxy/MMT master batch as well as postcuring condition.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.112-121
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• 2010

In this study, styrene butadiene rubber(SBR)/organoclay nanocomposites were manufactured using the latex method with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES) as a modifier. The X-ray diffraction(XRD), transmission electron microscopy(TEM) images, Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, swelling ratio and mechanical properties were measured in order to study the interaction between filler and rubber according to the mixing temperature in the internal mixer. In the case of SBR/APTES-MMT compounds, the dispersion of the silicates within the rubber matrix was enhanced, and thereby, the mechanical properties were improved. The characteristic bands of Si-O-C in APTES disappeared after hydrolysis reaction in the MMT-suspension solution and the peak of hydroxyl group was increased. Therefore the formation of chemical bonds between the hydroxyl group generated from APTES on the silicate surface and the ethoxy group of bis(triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulfide(TESPT) was possible. Consequently, the 300% modulus of SBR/APTES-MMT compounds was further improved in the case of using TESPT as a coupling agent. However, the silanization reaction between APTES and TESPT was not affected significantly according to the increase of mixing temperature in the internal mixer.