Influence of Organo-Clay on Mechanical and Thermal Properties of O-Muscovite/PP Layered Silicate Nanocomposite

Abstract

O-Muscovite/PP Layered Silicate Nanocomposites were prepared via melt compounding using different filler content. Muscovite was organomodified with Cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide (CEDAB). The thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposites, based on polypropylene (PP) filled by organo-clay (O-Muscovite), were studied in order to clarify the effect of O-Muscovite on the O-Muscovite/PP layered silicate nanocomposites by WAXD, TEM and DSC analyses. XRD indicated that O-Mica layers were intercalated and dispersed into polypropylene. Analysis of test data shows that, addition of organo-clay improved mechanical properties of O-Mica/PP nanocomposites. With the incorporation of 5 wt% O-Mica (optimal filler loading) into polypropylene Izod impact increased to 23%. The DSC analyses have shown that the influence of organo-clay on the thermal properties of material was significant in composites with O-Mica as fillers, compared to virgin PP. The enhancements of properties can be caused by the formation of intercalated and exfoliation nanocomposite structure at this clay content and stronger interaction of O-Mica with polymer matrix. At a higher filler loading, degradation in mechanical properties maybe attributes to the formation of agglomerated clay tactoids. O-Muscovite/PP Layered Silicate Nanocomposites were prepared via melt compounding using different filler content. Muscovite was organomodified with cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB). The thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposites, based on polypropylene (PP) filled by organo-clay (O-Muscovite), were studied in order to clarify the effect of O-Muscovite on the O-Muscovite/PP layered silicate nanocomposites by WAXD, TEM and DSC analyses. XRD indicated that O-Mica layers were intercalated and dispersed into polypropylene. It was found that the mechanical and thermal properties of organo-clay nanocomposite possess better properties as compared to the unmodified clay nanocomposites. The reason was partly due to the formation of intercalated and exfoliation nanocomposite structure at this clay content and stronger interaction of O-Mica with polymer matrix.