Preparation and evaluation of composites from montmorillonite and some heterocyclic polymers. II. A nanocomposite fromN-vinylcarbazole and ferric chloride-impregnated montmorillonite polymerization system

Abstract

The polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole in the presence of FeCl3-impregnated montmorillonite resulted in the formation of a poly(N-vinylcarbazole)–montmorillonite composite. XRD analysis of the composite revealed no expansion for d001 spacing, in sharp contrast to that for the same composite prepared in the absence of FeCl3. This indicated that the poly(N-vinylcarbazole) was not intercalated in the montmorillonite lamellae but was glued to it in the same way as was polypyrrole in colloidal silica, zirconia, or tin oxide nanocomposite systems. TEM analysis revealed the particle size of the composite to be in the range 30–40 nm. The dc conductivity of the poly(N-vinylcarbazole)–montmorillonite composite was in the range (3–5) × 10−5 S/cm depending upon the FeCl3 loading of montmorillonite. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 2971–2976, 1999