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Intercalation and exfoliation of clay nanoplatelets in epoxy‐based nanocomposites: TEM and XRD observations
Author(s) -
Miyagawa Hiroaki,
Drzal Lawrence T.,
Carsello Jerrold A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.20477
Subject(s) - materials science , diglycidyl ether , epoxy , nanocomposite , montmorillonite , bisphenol a , curing (chemistry) , composite material , small angle x ray scattering , sonication , organoclay , exfoliation joint , triethylenetetramine , chemical engineering , scattering , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , graphene , engineering , physics , optics
Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F (DGEBF) reinforced with organo‐montmorillonite clay nanoplatelets were investigated using anhydride‐ and amine‐curing agents. The sonication technique was used to process epoxy/clay nanocomposites. The basal spacing of clay nanoplatelets was observed by wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS), small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) techniques, and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the basal spacing of clay nanoplatelets in epoxy matrix was expanded after mixing with either DGEBA/DGEBF or methyltetrahydrophthalic‐anhydride (MTHPA) curing agent. The sonication technique provided larger d ‐spacing of clay nanoplatelets. Because of the different curing temperatures, MTHPA‐cured epoxy/clay nanocomposites produced more expanded d ‐spacing of clay nanoplatelets modified with methyl, tallow, bis(2‐hydroxyethyl) quaternary ammonium (MT2EtOH) than triethylenetetramine‐cured nanocomposites. Depending on the selection of curing agent and organic modification for clay nanoplatelets, the d ‐spacing was expanded to be up to 8.72 nm. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46:452–463, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers