Poly (methyl methacrylate) grafted halloysite nanotubes and its epoxy acrylate composites by ultraviolet curing method

Abstract

Addition of natural inorganic nanotubes to epoxy acrylate resin can significantly improve their mechanical properties. Halloysite nanotubes are one kind of novel reinforcing and toughening materials for polymers. In the present work, halloysite nanotubes were compounded to epoxy acrylate resin to improve the wear resistance and toughness of the composites. To improve the embedding of halloysite nanotubes within the epoxy acrylate resin matrix, the halloysite nanotubes surface was grafted by poly (methyl methacrylate). The morphology of the grafted halloysite nanotubes particles demonstrates a core-shell structure with halloysite nanotubes as the core and the grafted polymer as the shell. Poly (methyl methacrylate) was chemically attached to the halloysite nanotubes particles as indicated by the Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results. The poly (methyl methacrylate) grafted halloysite nanotubes (poly (methyl methacrylate)- g-halloysite nanotubes) then compounded with epoxy acrylate resin and composites are formed via ultraviolet-curing method. The hardness, flexibility, impact resistance and wear resistance of epoxy acrylate/poly (methyl methacrylate)- g-halloysite nanotubes composites were markedly improved in comparison with that of neat epoxy acrylate. The improvement was correlated to the well-dispersed halloysite nanotubes and the interfacial bonding between epoxy acrylate resin and poly (methyl methacrylate)- g-halloysite nanotubes. The well dispersion of halloysite nanotubes in the matrix is attributed to the modification on the surface of halloysite nanotubes.