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Application of the taguchi approach to investigate the effects of clay content and saponification parameters on the tensile properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)/clay nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Navarchian Amir H.,
Joulazadeh Mehrnaz,
Mousazadeh Saeed
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of vinyl and additive technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.295
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1548-0585
pISSN - 1083-5601
DOI - 10.1002/vnl.21330
Subject(s) - nanocomposite , materials science , saponification , vinyl alcohol , thermogravimetric analysis , ultimate tensile strength , montmorillonite , thermal stability , vinyl acetate , composite material , polymer clay , polymer , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , copolymer , chemistry , engineering
Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/montmorillonite nanocomposites were prepared via solution polymerization. The nanocomposites were formed either by first hydrolyzing poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) to PVA and then preparing the PVA/clay, or by initially preparing PVAc/clay and then hydrolyzing the matrix to PVA. The morphology of the nanocomposites was examined by X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, which suggested the proper dispersion of silicate layers within the PVA matrix. The influences of some variables including method of preparation, clay content, and time and temperature of saponification on the tensile properties (elastic modulus, stress and elongation at break) of the nanocomposite samples were investigated by using the Taguchi experimental design approach. The results indicated that the tensile properties of the nanocomposites improved as clay content, and the temperature and time of saponification increased. Effect of each factor on the ultimate properties of as prepared nanocomposites are discussed in detail. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the method of preparation did not influence the ultimate tensile properties of the nanocomposite samples. Thermal degradation of the nanocomposites was studied by thermogravimetric analysis, which showed that their thermal stability was higher than that of virgin polymer. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 19:276–284, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers