Polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites: a review from preparation to processing

Processing technologies for poly(lactic acid)

A review on polymer–layered silicate nanocomposites

Polymer blends and composites from renewable resources

Biodegradable polymers and their layered silicate nanocomposites: In greening the 21st century materials world

The thermomechanical properties, morphology, and gas permeability of hybrids prepared with three types of organoclays were compared in detail. Hexadecylamine-montmorillonite (C 16 -MMT), dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide-montmorillonite (DTA-MMT), and Cloisite 25A were used as organoclays in the preparation of nanocomposites. From morphological studies using transmission electron microscopy, most clay layers were found to be dispersed homogeneously in the matrix polymer, although some clusters or agglomerated particles were also detected. The initial degradation temperature (at a 2% weight loss) of the poly(lactic acid) (PLA) hybrid films with C 16 -MMT and Cloisite 25A decreased linearly with an increasing amount of organoclay. For hybrid films, the tensile properties initially increased but then decreased with the introduction of more of the inorganic phase. The O 2 permeability values for all the hybrids for clay loadings up to 10 wt % were less than half the corresponding values for pure PLA, regardless of the organoclay.

Poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites with various organoclays. I. Thermomechanical properties, morphology, and gas permeability

Poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites: comparison of their properties with montmorillonite and synthetic mica (II)

The properties of polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites with three different organoclays were compared in terms of their thermal stabilities, mechanical properties, morphologies, and gas permeabilities. Hexadecylamine–montmorillonite, dodecyltrimethyl ammonium–montmorillonite, and Cloisite 25A were used as organoclays for making PU hybrid films. The properties were examined as a function of the organoclay content in a matrix polymer. Transmission electron microscopy photographs showed that most clay layers were dispersed homogeneously into the matrix polymer on the nanoscale, although some particles of clay were agglomerated. Moreover, the addition of only a small amount of organoclay was enough to improve the thermal stabilities and mechanical properties of PU hybrid films, whereas gas permeability was reduced. Even polymers with low organoclay contents (3–4 wt %) showed much higher strength and modulus values than pure PU. Gas permeability was reduced linearly with an increasing amount of organoclay in the PU matrix. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 670–677, 2002; DOI 10.1002/polb.10124

Nanocomposites of polyurethane with various organoclays: Thermomechanical properties, morphology, and gas permeability*

Poly(butylene terephthalate)/organoclay nanocomposites prepared by in situ interlayer polymerization and its fiber (II)

The nanocomposites with poly(butylene terephthalate)(PBT) incorporated between the montmorillonite (MMT) layers were synthesized from dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and butane diol (BD) by using an in-situ interlayer polymerization approach. The PBT nanocomposites were melt spun at different organoclay contents to produce monofilaments. The existence of clay layers in the PBT was confirmed by using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and those layers were found to be disperse on a nanometer scale. The thermal properties of the layered structures of the hybrids were found to be more stable than those of pure PBT. These improved thermal properties of the nanocomposites might arise from an extensive and strongly bonded interface between the organic and the inorganic components. Moreover, the addition of only a small amount of organoclay was enough to improve the mechanical properties of the PBT hybrid fibers.

Yeong Uk An

Papers

Poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites with various organoclays. I. Thermomechanical properties, morphology, and gas permeability

Poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites: comparison of their properties with montmorillonite and synthetic mica (II)

Nanocomposites of polyurethane with various organoclays: Thermomechanical properties, morphology, and gas permeability*

Poly(butylene terephthalate)/organoclay nanocomposites prepared by in situ interlayer polymerization and its fiber (II)

Synthesis of Poly(butylene terephthalate) Nanocomposite by In-situ Interlayer Polymerization and Characterization of Its Fiber (I)