Open AccessEffects of Ultrasonication Time on Thermal Stability and Swelling Behaviour of The Commercial Organo-Montmorillonite (O-MMT)
Author(s) -
Asna Rasyidah Abdul Hamid,
Azlin Fazlina Osman
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2227-524X
DOI - 10.14419/ijet.v7i2.23.11934
Subject(s) - sonication , montmorillonite , swelling , materials science , thermal stability , distilled water , thermogravimetry , polymer , chemical engineering , thermogravimetric analysis , nanocomposite , polymer chemistry , composite material , chemistry , chromatography , engineering
In this contribution, we report the effect of ultrasonication time on thermal stability and swelling of organically modified montmorillonite (O-MMT) upon ultrasonication in a water medium. In the production of well-exfoliated polymer/clay nanocomposite, ultrasonication was employed as a method to exfoliate and disperse organically modified montmorillonite (O-MMT) platelets prior to melt compounding with the polymer matrix. The suspension of distilled water and O-MMT was magnetically stirred for 2 hours and then ultrasonicated at the different sonicating time, namely, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes and 20 minutes (min) at room temperature. Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) suggested that dispersion of the O-MMT by ultrasonication for 5 minutes resulted in thermal stability enhancement without destruction of the organic surface modifier structure and bonding on the clay platelets. X-ray diffraction (XRD) also indicated that application of 5 minutes ultrasonication time has most obviously improved the swelling of the O-MMT platelets. This was further proved by Field emission scanning electron microscope (FeSEM) which revealed greater interlayer spacing within the O-MMT platelets was obtained.