SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTIES OF ORGANOCLAY-MODIFIED POLYSULFONE/EPOXY INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORK NANOCOMPOSITES

Abstract

Organoclay-modified hydroxylterminated polysulfone (PSF)/epoxy interpenetrating network nanocomposites (oM-PSF/EP nanocomposites) were prepared by adding organophilic montmorillonite (oMMT) to interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) of polysulfone and epoxy resin (PSF/EP) using diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) as curing agent. The mechanical properties like tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact properties of the nanocomposites were studied as per ASTM standards. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that PSF was compatible with EP, and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the oM-PSF/EP nanocomposites decreased with increasing the oMMT content. Water absorption tests showed that the PSF/EP interpenetrating networks and oMMT had synergistic effects on improvement in the water resistance of the oM-PSF/EP nanocomposites.