Effect of Cis‐13‐docosenamide in the Properties of Compatibilized Polypropylene/Clay Nanocomposites

Abstract

SummaryThe importance of obtaining materials with better properties than the pure polymer is increasing worldwide. A strategy often used to obtain better properties is the use of reinforcing fillers in the nanoscale. In this paper, polypropylene (PP) and organophilic montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites were prepared, using maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP‐g‐MA) as compatibilizer in concentrations of 3%, 5%, 15% and 22.5% and erucamide as cointercalant in concentrations of 0.3%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5%. The nanocomposites were prepared by the melt intercalation method with a single screw extruder. The influence of the concentration of the compatibilizer and the cointercalant on morphological and mechanical properties of the materials were examined by X‐ray diffraction, tensile test and Fourier transform infrared. The XRD results showed that the level of intercalation and/or exfoliation rises with the increase of additive concentrations, best outcomes were obtained from systems with smaller and greater percentages of clay, compatibilizer and cointercalant. The mechanical tests did not show significant rises when the concentration of PP‐g‐MA and erucamide increased. From the FTIR results, characteristic bands of the material and its possible interactions and intercalations were observed.