The Effects of Loading of Montmorillonite (MMT) on the Properties of the Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE/Organo-MMT) Nanocomposite Sheets Prepared by Gel and Pressure Induced Flow (PIF) Processing

Abstract

In this paper the effects of loading of montmorillonite (MMT) on the properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene/montmorillonite (UHMWPE/MMT) nano-composites were reported. The UHMWPE gel sheet with nanoparticles of MMT clay was prepared by using paraffin oil as a non-volatile solvent. The paraffin oil was removed using two steps, i.e., mini-mold as PIF and extraction processes. The microstructure of the gel sheet shows good dispersion of MMT clay nanoparticles and hence intercalation and exfoliation between the layers of the microstructure gel sheet, i.e., MMT clay onto the layer surface by means of gel and PIF processes in the microstructure gel sheet shows that the layer spacing was increased significantly or even exfoliated. For intercalated nanocomposites, different layer spacing corresponds to different chain flexibility and the presence of multi-peaks is caused by the processing of these materials. The resulting exfoliated UHMWPE/organo-MMT nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscope. The thermal properties of the nanocomposites were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The results obtained provide a guide to the interfacial design of organic/inorganic materials.