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Nanocomposites‐based polyolefins as alternative to improve barrier properties
Author(s) -
Carvalho J. W. C.,
Sarantópoulos C.,
InnocentiniMei L. H.
Publication year - 2010
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.32507
Subject(s) - vermiculite , linear low density polyethylene , materials science , polyethylene , nanocomposite , exfoliation joint , maleic anhydride , composite material , low density polyethylene , montmorillonite , polymer , polymer chemistry , copolymer , graphene , nanotechnology
This work investigates the influence of some ammonium quaternary compounds as coupling agent in polyethylene/clay nanocomposites to improve the performance of polyethylene used as packaging barrier material. The 3 wt % of vermiculite used as a nanofiller was added to linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) and to linear low‐density polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride (LLDPE‐ g ‐MA). The analysis results revealed that the influence of both the clay exfoliation in a polymer matrix and the coupling agents on the barrier properties were significant. Among the coupling agents used, cetylpropyldimethylammonium chloride yielded the best result for vermiculite exfoliation. A reduction of up to 18% in the oxygen‐permeability coefficient was observed in the nanocompounds with exfoliated vermiculite. The nanocomposite produced with vermiculite did not prove to be efficient as a moisture barrier against according to the analysis performed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010