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Preparation and characterization of polyethylene‐ g ‐maleic anhydride–styrene/montmorillonite nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Zhou Zhengfa,
Zhai Hongbo,
Xu Weibing,
Guo Hanyang,
Liu Changfeng,
Pan WeiPing
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.22107
Subject(s) - montmorillonite , polyethylene , materials science , nanocomposite , maleic anhydride , thermogravimetric analysis , reactive extrusion , polymer chemistry , thermal stability , monomer , composite material , chemical engineering , polymer , copolymer , engineering
It is difficult to prepare polyethylene/montmorillonite by direct melt mixing because of the difference in character between polyethylene and montmorillonite. Therefore, it is necessary to modify polyethylene with polar groups, which can increase the hydrophilicity of polyethylene. At the same time, the inorganic montmorillonite should be modified with long‐chain alkyl ammonium to increase the basing space between the interlayers. Thus, through the grafting of the polar monomer onto the main chain of polyethylene by reactive extrusion, polyethylene/montmorillonite nanocomposites can be prepared by the melt mixing of the grafter and organic montmorillonite. Fourier transform infrared has been used to prove that the monomers are grafted onto polyethylene. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy have been employed to characterize the nanocomposites. Furthermore, thermogravimetric analysis measurements show that the thermal stability of the nanocomposites is improved in comparison with that of the virgin materials. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 805–809, 2006