Chlorobutyl rubber nanocomposites as effective gas and VOC barrier materials

Abstract

The field of polymer nanocomposites has attracted attention as a method of enhancing polymer properties and extending their utility by using molecular or nanoscale reinforcements rather than conventional particulate filled nanocomposites. These materials exhibit behavior different from conventional composite materials with micro scale structure due to small size of structural unit and high surface to volume ratio. Chlorobutyl rubber nanocomposites were prepared using organically modified cloisite 15 A and characterized using XRD and TEM. The gas barrier properties of the nanocomposites were modeled using the composite theories of permeation and the tortousity factors were predicted. Analysis of mechanical properties, transport and gas barrier properties of the nanocomposites as well as the calculation of break through times show the effectiveness of the material to be utilized as potential gas as well as VOC barrier materials.