Synthesis of amine-cured, epoxy-layered silicate nanocomposites: The influence of the silicate surface modification on the properties

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science 2002-12, Vol.86 (10), p.2643-2652
• Main Authors: Kornmann, Xavier, Thomann, Ralph, Mülhaupt, Rolf, Finter, Jürgen, Berglund, Lars
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; clay nanocomposites; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; hybrid; morphology; nanocomposites; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymera konstruktionsmaterial; Polymeric Composite Materials; relations; structure-property; structure-property relations; Technology of polymers; thermosets
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.11279

Fluorohectorites were rendered organophilic through the cation exchange of sodium intergallery cations for protonated monoamine, diamine, and triamine oligopropyleneoxides and octadecylamine, benzylamine, and adducts of octadecylamine and benzylamine with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The influence of the silicate surface modification and compatibility on the morphology and thermal and mechanical properties was examined. Surface modification with protonated octadecylamine and its adduct with DGEBA promoted the formation of microscale domains of silicate layers separated by more than 50 Å, as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering. Young's modulus of these two nanocomposites increased parabolically with the true silicate content, whereas conventionally filled composites exhibited a linear relationship. The highest fracture toughness was observed for conventionally filled composites. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 2643–2652, 2002