Higher Clay Loadings Research Articles

Experimental and theoretical analyses of mechanical properties of PP/PLA/clay nanocomposites

Compatibilized and non-compatibilized blends of polypropylene (PP) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with various compositions containing nanoclay particles were prepared by one step melt compounding in a twin screw extruder. Two nanocomposite systems with different matrices i.e. PP-rich (75/25 composition) containing Cloisite 15A and PLA-rich (25/75 composition) containing Cloisite 30B were selected for investigation of effect of nanoclays and n-butyl acrylate glycidyl methacrylate ethylene terpolymers (PTW) as compatibilizer on mechanical properties of PP/PLA/clay nanocomposites. Tensile and impact properties of the nanocomposite systems were investigated and correlated with their microstructures. Tensile modulus and strength of the blends were increased while elongation at break decreased by increasing PLA content. There was an irregular relationship between impact strength of the blends and PLA content. Several proposed models for blends and nanocomposites were used for prediction of tensile modulus of the samples. Most of the proposed models for blends could predict the tensile modulus of the blends successfully at low content of PLA. Another notable point was that most of the micromechanical models for nanocomposites fitted well to experimental values at low content of the clays and showed deviations at high clay loadings.

Morphology Control and Stabilization in Immiscible Polypropylene and Polyamide 6 Blends with Organoclay

Abstract In the current study, 70/30 (w/w) polypropylene (PP)/polyamide 6 (PA6)/organoclay ternary blends were prepared by melt mixing in three different blending sequences, i. e., organoclay premixed with PA6 and then mixed with PP (S1 blending sequence), organoclay premixed with PP and then mixed with PA6 (S2 blending sequence), and organoclay, PA6 and PP mixed simultaneously (S3 blending sequence). The effects of organoclay on the phase morphologies, rheological properties and mechanical properties of the blends are examined to reveal the role of organoclay in these immiscible blends. First of all, the dispersion and distribution of organoclay is investigated using XRD and TEM techniques. The organoclay is exfoliated and distributed in the dispersed PA6 phase as well as at the interface between PA6 and PP. Interestingly, more organoclay sheets are observed at the interface when the S2 or S3 blending sequences are utilized. From the SEM images, it is clear that the domain size of the PA6 phase decreases remarkably after introducing organoclay into the PP/PA6 blends. Two different rheological protocols are applied to probe the effect of organoclay on the morphology of the blend by in-situ monitoring the morphological evolution. The rheological results reveal that the phase morphology of the PP/PA6 blends remains relatively stable during shear for a wide range of shear rates when 1.0 wt% organoclay has been added. For the blends with a relatively high clay loading (5.0 wt%), a characteristic and pronounced “plateau” is observed in the low frequency range of the G′-ω curves, which indicates the presence of a percolating network of clay nanosheets. From the mechanical measurements, we find that the tensile strength of the blends increases slightly first and then declines dramatically with increasing organoclay content. Moreover, the elongation at break drops sharply as the organoclay content increases. In summary, it is clear that the organoclay can effectively reduce the domain size of the dispersed PA6 phase and stabilize the phase morphology in shear flow. However, the mechanical properties of the blends are not really improved by clay addition, even though a cocontinuous morphology with a percolated clay network was generated.

Thermal degradation kinetics, mechanical, and flame retardant properties of epoxy‐HDPE fabric‐clay composite laminates

ABSTRACTAddition of particulates into laminates has been found to influence thermal and mechanical properties. Composite laminates of epoxy‐high density polyethylene (HDPE) fabric‐clay were prepared by reinforcing clay in the range of 0.1–0.7 phr into epoxy‐HDPE fabric laminates. These laminates are characterized for their mechanical, thermal, and flame retardant performances. With the addition of clay, an increase was found in impact resistance, tensile strength, flexural strength, and Young's modulus to an extent of 0.2 phr clay, after which there is a decrease in these properties. The thermal stability is found to decrease with the addition of clay. The improved mechanical properties are obtained at the slight expense of thermal stability. UL‐94 tests indicate a reduction in the burning rate. Morphology of the broken samples indicate better dispersion at lower clay load and tactoid formation at higher clay loading. These materials have potential applications in agriculture, construction, and decorative purposes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40751.

Effect of organomodified clay on the reaction kinetics, properties and thermal degradation of nanocomposites based on poly(styrene-co -ethyl methacrylate)

In this research, synthesis of novel nanocomposites based on a poly(styrene-co-ethyl methacrylate) copolymer matrix was investigated with different types and amounts of organomodified montmorillonite (MMT) clays. The in situ polymerization technique was selected with dispersion of the MMT nanoparticles into the comonomer mixture and subsequent bulk radical polymerization. Reaction kinetics was measured gravimetrically and it was found that the existence of rigid phenyl rings in the organomodifier may result in a hindered reaction rate especially at high clay loadings. Structural characteristics of the nanocomposites formed were verified with XRD and Fourier transform infrared analysis and mainly intercalated/partially exfoliated structures were verified; their glass transition temperature was measured with DSC, and their molecular weight distribution and average molecular weights were measured with gel permeation chromatography. The latter was also used to measure the variation of the copolymer average molecular weight with conversion. Slightly higher average molecular weight and Tg values for the copolymer in the nanocomposites were measured, compared with neat copolymer. The thermal stability of the nanocomposites was measured with TGA and found to be significantly improved. One-step degradation revealed the existence of macromolecular chains without defective structures. Finally, pyrolysis of the nanocomposite copolymers resulted in the production of both comonomers in high amounts, followed by some dimers or trimers. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

Pine cone fiber/clay hybrid composite: Mechanical and thermal properties

This paper deals with the mechanical and thermal properties of clay and pine cone fibers reinforced polypropylene hybrid composite at a total weight percent of 30. To enhance charges wettability within the polymer, a coupling agent was added and a mercerization treatment was carried out to the fibers. Tensile, torsional, hardness tests were conducted for these composites to evaluate the impact of hybrid charges. The tensile properties results indicate that the Young’s modulus has increased for whole systems reaching a gain of 80%, while tensile strength remained stable with the use of both charges. For torsional and hardness characterizations of such hybrid composite, an increase in the torsional resistance is noted with clay addition when hardness properties were in decrease at high clay loading. Thermal degradation decreases with the addition of fibers which is normal with the addition of a low degradation temperature charge.

Curing studies of bisphenol a based bismaleimide and cloisite 15a nanoclay blends using differential scanning calorimetry and model‐free kinetics

AbstractBlends of 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐maleimidophenoxy phenyl)]propane [bismaleimide (BMIX)] with different proportions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9%) of the nanoclay Cloisite 15a were prepared with ultrasonication. Fourier transform infrared studies reveal the existence of interactions between the clay particles and the imide rings in BMIX. The difference in the melting characteristics and the decrease in the curing window caused by the incorporation of the clay particles in BMIX, as evidenced by detailed differential scanning calorimetry investigations, confirmed the existence of interactions between the nanoclay particles and BMIX molecules. The Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, Vyazovkin, and Friedman kinetics methods were used to calculate the activation energies (Ea's) for the curing of the BMIX materials.Eafor the polymerization varied, depending not only on the amount of clay loaded in the BMIX but also on the extent of the curing reaction. Because of the loss of interaction between the clay platelets and the imide rings of BMIX, a decrease inEaat higher reaction extents was noted when there was lower clay loadings (1–4% Cloisite 15a) in BMIX. A reversal in the previous behavior was noted at higher clay loadings (7 and 9% Cloisite 15a) in BMIX and was attributed to the restriction of the molecular mobility due to the presence of increased concentrations of clay platelets and the decreased availability of reaction sites for polymerization. These two opposing factors played were equal at the optimum level of Cloisite 15a loading (5%) in BMIX, which was reflected in the constancy ofEavariation noted with increasing reaction extent. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013

The preparation of nano-clay/polypropylene composite materials with improved properties using supercritical carbon dioxide and a sequential mixing technique

A semi-continuous process using scCO2 is reported for processing polymer–clay composites with high clay loading (i.e. 10wt %) by reducing the collapse of the exfoliated clays. Two major modifications are involved in the new procedure: exfoliating the nano-clay directly into the hopper filed with pellets followed by processing the composite immediately and sequentially mixing the clay into the melt. This latter approach helped to minimize the clay collapse when processing the composites with high clay loadings. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) results are provided to investigate the effect of sequential mixing on reducing the clay collapse in the nanocomposite. Surface modified montmorillonite (MMT) nano-clay/polypropylene (PP) composite at 10wt % nano-clay with improved clay dispersion was obtained with increased modulus and tensile strength of 63 % and 16%, respectively, compared to the pure PP matrix.

Preparation of polystyrene colloid particles armored by clay platelets via dispersion polymerization

Polystyrene colloid particles armored by Montmorillonite clay (MMT) were prepared by free-radical polymerization in dispersion. MMT was pre-modified with cationic amphiphilic block copolymer of poly(styrene-b-2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) (PS-b-PHEA), and the obtained (PS-b-PHEA)-MMT modified clay was used as stabilizer in dispersion polymerization. The impact of (PS-b-PHEA)-MMT loading on the particle size, the monomer conversion, and on the molecular weight were investigated. The main objective of this paper was to use the clay platelets as stabilizers in dispersion polymerization, and as nanofiller to improve some polymer properties such as thermal stability, thermo-mechanical and melt flow properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that colloid PS particles with MMT layers at the surface (i.e. armored particles) were obtained, and the particles sizes were found to be in the micrometer size range and stable dispersion were obtained for clay loadings up to 5wt%. Small angle X-ray diffractions (XRD) and TEM revealed that polymer-clay nanocomposites (PCNs) with partially exfoliated structures were obtained for low clay loading, while intercalated structures were obtained at higher clay loading. All PCNs were found to be more thermally stable than neat polymer as were determined by TGA. Furthermore, an increase in the storage modulus and the Tg of the PCNs was found and greatly correlated to the clay loading.

Influence of clay content on the melting behavior and crystal structure of nonisothermal crystallized poly(L‐lactic acid)/nanocomposites

AbstractTo study the effect of organophilic clay concentration on nonisothermal crystallization, poly(L‐lactic acid) (PLLA)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by mixing various amounts of commercial MMT (Cloisite® 30B) and PLLA. The effect of MMT content on melting behavior and crystal structure of nonisothermal crystallized PLLA/MMT nanocomposites was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small‐angle X‐ray scattering, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The study was focused on the effect of the filler concentration on thermal and structural properties of the nonisothermally crystallized nanocomposite PLLA/MMT. The results obtained have shown that at filler loadings higher than 3 wt %, intercalation of the clay is observed. At lower clay concentrations (1–3 wt %), exfoliation predominates. DSC and XRD analysis data show that the crystallinity of PLLA/MMT composites increases drastically at high clay loadings (5–9 wt %). In these nanocomposites, PLLA crystallizes nonisothermally in an orthorhombic crystal structure, assigned to the α form of PLLA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

Novel POBD‐modified organoclay and its polyimide nanocomposites for removal of the Co(II) ion

AbstractAn organophilic clay has been obtained via cation exchange reaction between sodium montmorillonite and the hydrochloride salt of 2‐(5‐(3,5‐diaminophenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole‐2‐yl)pyridine, POBD. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that thermal decomposition of the organophilic clay starts at about 350°C, which shows that it is quite thermally stable compared with conventional montmorillonite modified with aliphatic long chain surfactants. POBD‐modified organoclay almost quantitatively removed the Co(II) ion from aqueous solution at pH = 10.0 (Qt = 3.00 mg g−1, R = 98.2%). A series of polyimide/clay nanocomposite materials (PCNs) consisting of POBD and benzophenone‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride, BTDA were also prepared by an in situ polymerization reaction via thermal imidization. POBD‐modified organoclay was used as a surfactant at different concentrations. Intercalation of polymer chains within the organoclay galleries was confirmed by WXRD. Both the glass transition temperature and thermal stability are increased with respect to pristine PI at low clay concentrations. At high clay loadings, the aggregation of organoclay particles results in a decrease in Tg and thermal stability. In the SEM images of PCN 1 and 3%, too many micro cracks are observed in the background, and a flower‐shape pattern spreads uniformly over the entire surface. The maximum Co(II) uptake capacity and efficiency were observed at pH 10.0 within a 40‐h period for both PI and PCN films. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers

Preparation and characterization of EVA/clay Nanocomposites with improved barrier performance

AbstractPoly (ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate) (EVA)/clay nanocomposites containing two different organoclays with different clay loadings were prepared. The transport of gases (oxygen and nitrogen) through the composite membranes was investigated and the results were compared. These studies revealed that the incorporation of nanoclays in the polymer increased the efficiency of the membranes toward barrier properties. It was also found that the barrier properties of the membranes decreased with clay loadings. This is mainly due to the aggregation of clay at higher loadings. The morphology of the nanocomposites was studied by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray scattering. Small angle X‐ray scattering results showed significant intercalation of the polymer chains between the organo‐modified silicate layers in all cases. Better dispersed silicate layer stacking and more homogeneous membranes were obtained for Cloisite® 25A based nanocomposites compared with Cloisite® 20A samples. Microscopic observations (SEM and TEM) were coherent with those results. The dispersion of clay platelets seemed to be maximized for 3 wt % of clay and agglomeration increased with higher clay loading. Wide angle X‐ray scattering results showed no significant modifications in the crystalline structure of the EVA matrix because of the presence of the clays. The effect of free volume on the transport behavior was studied using positron annihilation spectroscopy. The permeability results have been correlated with various permeation models. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

Polymer–montmorillonite nanocomposites: Chemical grafting of polyvinyl acetate onto Cloisite 20A

AbstractThis paper is an account of the experiments on grafting polyvinyl acetate onto organophilic montmorillonite. Cloisite 20A was reacted with vinyltrichlorosilane to replace the edge hydroxyl groups of the clay with a vinyl moiety. Because the reaction liberates HCl, it was performed in the presence of sodium hydrogencarbonate to prevent the exchange of quaternary alkylammonium cations with H+ ions. Only the silanol groups on the edge of the clay react with vinyltrichlorosilane. After the reaction, the product maintained the same basal spacing as the precursor. The radical polymerization of the product with vinyl acetate as a vinyl monomer leads to chemical grafting of polyvinyl acetate onto montmorillonite surface. The homopolymer formed during polymerization was separated from the grafted organoclay by Soxhelt extraction. Chemical grafting of the polymer onto Cloisite 20A was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. The prepared nanocomposite materials and the grafted nano‐particles were studied by XRD, SEM, and TEM. Exfoliated nanocomposite was obtained for 0.5% clay content. Nanocomposites with 1% and 3% clay contents showed significant intercalation and agglomeration occurred at higher clay loadings. The nanocomposites were studied by thermogravimertic analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA). Improved thermo‐mechanical properties were observed for nanocomposite with 0.5% clay content. POLYM. COMPOS., © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers.

Characterisation of poly(vinyl alcohol)–montmorillonite composites with higher clay contents

Polymer composites comprised of poly(vinyl alcohol) and montmorillonite with higher clay loadings have been prepared and characterised. The extent of intercalation in the composites was examined over a range of compositions using scanning electron microscopy – energy dispersive spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. The incorporation of an acidification step followed by washing the clay results in a homogenous polymer-clay film. The source of montmorillonite was found to have an effect on the morphology of the clay in the resulting composite. Montmorillonite was obtained from two sources and different clay structures within the polymer – clay composites were identified in each case, indicating that the choice of clay is an important consideration when producing poly(vinyl alcohol) – montmorillonite composites with higher clay content.

Microstructural Evolution of PP/EPDM/Organoclay Nanocomposites in a Twin Screw Extruder

Abstract The offline Microstructure of nanocomposites based on Poly-Propylene (PP), Ethylene-Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) and Cloisite 15A along the twin screw extruder barrel was investigated by X-Ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and rheological measurements. To assess the effect of screw zones, the microstructural development of nanocomposites along the screw was investigated. Accordingly, dead-stop experiment samples were taken at four different positions of the extruder after abruptly stopping the machine and opening the barrel. Effect of clay loading on the evolution of morphology in the extruder was studied. X-Ray diffraction results showed that at lower clay contents (up to ∼7 wt.%), the intercalation process is independent of screw geometry and accomplishes as soon as the matrix is melted; and on the other hand, excessive melt mixing of the samples containing higher clay loadings (10 wt.%) might lead to the collapse of silicate layers and consequently poor degrees of intercalation/exfoliation. Results were confirmed by TEM micrographs and also XRD patterns of the nanocomposites sensitively detecting the microstructural changes of the samples.

Influence of Clay Content and Amount of Organic Modifiers on Morphology and Pervaporation Performance of EVA/Clay Nanocomposites

Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/organically modified clay nanocomposites were prepared using different clay loadings and by varying the amount of organic modifier. The morphology of the nanocomposites was investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SAXS results displayed intercalation of polymeric chains between the silicate layers in all the cases. The interlayer distance varies slightly between the series. TEM images showed a better dispersion of the clay platelets at lower loading for both series of samples. The pervaporation performances of membranes were analyzed using a chloroform/acetone mixture. Membranes displayed high selectivity. The influence of feed composition on pervaporation was analyzed. The nanoclay content and the influence of free volume on pervaporation performance were also investigated in detail. A drop in selectivity and an increase in permeation rate were observed at higher clay loadings.

Effect of the polymer—filler interaction on the thermo-mechanical response of polyurethane-clay nanocomposites from blocked prepolymer

Thin transparent films of polyurethane—clay nanocomposites were prepared by dispersing different amounts of commercial organo-modified clay in a mixture of cycloaliphatic amines used as chain extender of a blocking prepolymer, in order to investigate the role of the filler content on the thermo-mechanical behavior of the resulting composites. X-ray diffraction measurements evidenced the formation of an intercalated structure, regardless to the clay loading. Furthermore, the optical clarity of the samples was not substantially compromised by the nanofiller addition even at elevated clay amounts. Interestingly, the relatively strong polymer—filler interaction led to a substantial reduction of the matrix crosslinking degree for high clay loadings. Consequently, the relative thermal lifetime was positively affected by the presence of clay up to a filler content of 7 wt%, while uniaxial tensile tests under quasi-static and impact conditions evidenced an increase of the elastic modulus proportional to the clay concentration, without impairing the original tensile properties at break.

Molecular-scale design of a high performance organic–inorganic hybrid with the help of gamma radiation

In the age of green chemistry, gamma-radiation-assisted grafting of polar groups onto polymers in aqueous solution is becoming attractive as it is a rapid, scalable, clean physical process with much less chance of contamination. In this case, a methacrylic acid (MAA) polar group was grafted onto LDPE (low density polyethylene) by gamma radiation to increase the compatibility of LDPE with organically modified clay by reducing the hydrophobicity of LDPE. The clay, cloisite 20A was melt-mixed with g-LDPE (grafted LDPE) to synthesize a nanohybrid and the mixes were subsequently compression-molded to make a sheet, which was used for characterization. Many of the drawbacks of polyolefin based nanohybrid synthesis were overcome by this technique. Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravemetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile testing were conducted to characterize the nanohybrids. The interlayer distance (d values) change in WAXS confirmed nanohybrid formation, which was later directly seen by TEM. TGA revealed that nanohybrids were more thermally stable than pure polymer and this went on increasing with clay loading. From DSC it was noticed that melting temperatures (Tms) remained unchanged, but the crystallinity of the polymer was increased by more than 5% at higher clay loading (8 wt%), which was useful for barrier properties as well as mechanical property improvement. Young's modulus of nanohybrid was increased considerably by a small mount of clay incorporation (by 50% and 85% for 2 and 8 wt% clay). Uniquely, with increase in modulus toughness was also found to increase by more than 20%, keeping the elongation-at-break unchanged. Thus by this rapid, clean, user friendly and well controlled technique, pure and high-performance nanohybrids were developed successfully.

Nanostructure morphology and dynamic rheological properties of nanocomposites based on thermoplastic polyurethane and organically modified montmorillonite

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposites based on organophilic-layered silicates were prepared via melt blending. Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were employed to investigate the state and mechanism of exfoliation of the layered silicate within TPU matrix. The TPU nanocomposites were found to have a partially exfoliated morphology at lower clay loading, whereas the morphology changed to an intercalated nanostructure at higher clay loadings. The effect of the state of dispersion of organoclay on rheological properties of the nanocomposites were carried out by rubber process analyzer (RPA), which exhibited more pronounced shear thinning behavior, and increased storage and loss modulus with the increase in organoclay content. The pseudo-plastic like behavior was observed due to change in liquid-like to solid-like behavior of nanoclay-filled systems.

Elegant Way of Strengthening Polymer−Polymer Interface Using Nanoclay

A unique mechanism responsible for enhancing the autohesive tack strength of ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) was elucidated by studying the interfacial strength of an unvulcanized EPDM elastomer joint in the presence of nanoclay. The tack strength significantly increased with nanoclay concentration up to 4 parts per 100 grams of rubber (phr), beyond which it dropped. For example, the tack strength of 4 phr of the nanoclay-loaded sample was nearly 137% higher than that of neat EPDM rubber. The influence of nanoclay in the bond formation and the bond separation steps of the tack test was understood by analyzing various tack governing factors such as green strength, creep compliance, entanglement molecular weight, relaxation time, the self-diffusion coefficient, and the monomer friction coefficient (ζ0). Furthermore, the ability of EPDM rubber to undergo strain-induced crystallization (SIC) during straining (at the time of bond separation in the peel test experiment) in the presence of nanoclay was also investigated. When the clay concentration was 4 phr, there was a slight reduction in the extent of molecular diffusion at the tack junction due to the nanoclay reinforcement; however, the diffusion was sufficient enough to establish entanglements across the interface. Furthermore, the less diffused chains of the nanocomposite samples showed greater bond breaking resistance than the unfilled sample due to the higher ζ0 value owing to the nanoclay reinforcement. It was also observed that the presence of nanoclay reduced the amount of crystallinity in the unstrained state and hence favored diffusion of elastomer chains across the interface. In addition, the presence of nanoclay significantly increased the ability of the EPDM elastomer to crystallize due to the alignment of nanoclay during straining, thus providing greater bond breaking resistance to the diffused elastomer chains. At higher clay loading (>4 phr), the elastomer chains could not establish entanglements across the interface due to extremely slow diffusion and aggregated platelets on the rubber surface, and therefore the tack strength decreased.

Polymer–clay nanocomposites: Free-radical grafting of polyacrylamide onto organophilic montmorillonite

This paper is an account of the experiments on grafting polyacrylamide onto organophilic montmorillonite. Cloisite 20A was reacted with vinyltrichlorosilane to replace the edge hydroxyl groups of the clay with a vinyl moiety. Since the reaction liberates HCl, it was performed in the presence of sodium hydrogencarbonate to prevent the exchange of quaternary alkyl ammonium cations with H + ions. Only the silanol groups on the edge of the clay react with vinyltrichlorosilane. The product maintained the same basal spacing as the precursor. The radical polymerization of the product with acrylamide as a vinyl monomer leads to chemical grafting of polyacrylamide onto montmorillonite surface. The homopolymer formed during polymerization was Soxhelt extracted from the grafted organoclay. Chemical grafting of the polymer onto Cloisite 20A was confirmed by IR spectroscopy. The interlayer and surface changes of the clay in the prepared nanocomposite materials and the grafted nano-particles were studied by XRD and SEM. Intercalated nanocomposites were obtained for clay contents of 3–7% and agglomeration occurred at higher clay loadings. The nanocomposites were studied by thermogravimertic analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA).