Mechanically treated vermiculite particles in PCL/vermiculite thin films

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the influence of mechanically treated vermiculite particles obtained from ball (VB) and jet (VBj) milling on the structure, morphology, crystallinity, phase and thermal stability of a polycaprolactone (PCL)/vermiculite thin films prepared in CHCl3 environment. Three concentrations (1, 3 and 5 %) of the VB and VBj particles in the PCL matrix was evaluated by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. The wettability of PCL/vermiculite thin films was investigated by the water contact angle and the glycerol contact angle, which did not exceed 71°. The experimental results revealed that VBj particles showed high interaction with PCL matrix, when increasing concentration affected the PCL spherulite morphology, the spherulite grain size decreased to the 20 µm, as well as crystallinity decreased to the 48.2 % and at the same time the arrangement of VBj particles in PCL matrix increased. It was observed that VB and VBj particles does not affect the wettability of the PCL/vermiculite thin films. Likewise, the presence of these clay fillers has no effect on thermal stability of prepared PCL/vermiculite thin films.