Comparative studies of the morphological and thermal properties of clay/polymer nanocomposites synthesized via melt blending and modified solution blending methods

Abstract

In this study, EVA/clay nanocomposites were prepared by two different methodologies i.e. melt blend technique and solution blend technique. Comparative analyzes of morphological and thermal properties of the nanocomposites fabricated by two different methods were done. The modified solution method was found to be an efficient method to obtain nanocomposite strips with uniform dispersion of the clay at organoclay loading of 8% and crystallinity by extrusion. The melt blending method produced nanocomposites with high porosity, intercalation, and thermal stability, whereas solution blending technique resulted in composites with more intercalated-exfoliated morphology, and less porosity and thermal stability.