Open AccessEffects of melt‐processing conditions on the quality of poly(ethylene terephthalate) montmorillonite clay nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Davis Cher H.,
Mathias Lon J.,
Gilman Jeffrey W.,
Schiraldi David A.,
Shields J. Randy,
Trulove Paul,
Sutto Tom E.,
Delong Hugh C.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of polymer science part b: polymer physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1099-0488
pISSN - 0887-6266
DOI - 10.1002/polb.10331
Subject(s) - montmorillonite , exfoliation joint , materials science , nanocomposite , intercalation (chemistry) , thermal decomposition , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , ethylene , organoclay , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , graphene , nanotechnology , engineering , catalysis
Organically modified montmorillonite was synthesized with a novel 1,2‐dimethyl‐3‐ N ‐alkyl imidazolium salt or a typical quaternary ammonium salt as a control. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) montmorillonite clay nanocomposites were compounded via melt‐blending in a corotating mini twin‐screw extruder operating at 285 °C. The nanocomposites were characterized with thermal analysis, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy to determine the extent of intercalation and/or exfoliation present in the system. Nanocomposites produced with N , N ‐dimethyl‐ N , N ‐dioctadecylammonium treated montmorillonite (DMDODA‐MMT), which has a decomposition temperature of 250 °C, were black, brittle, and tarlike resulting from DMDODA degradation under the processing conditions. Nanocomposites compounded with 1,2‐dimethyl‐3‐ N ‐hexadecyl imidazolium treated MMT, which has a decomposition temperature of 350 °C, showed high levels of dispersion and delamination. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2661–2666, 2002