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Polymers and Polymer Composites

EFFECT OF EPOXY RESIN ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND MELT VISCOELASTIC BEHAVIOUR OF POLY(BUTYLENE TEREPHTHALATE)/MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITES

June 1, 2005 By: Defeng Wu; Chixing Zhou; Xie Fan; Dalian Mao; Zhang Bian Research article

Title: EFFECT OF EPOXY RESIN ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND MELT VISCOELASTIC BEHAVIOUR OF POLY(BUTYLENE TEREPHTHALATE)/MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITES
Page Range: p.571-80
Author(s): Defeng Wu; Chixing Zhou; Xie Fan; Dalian Mao; Zhang Bian
File size: 234K
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 13
Issue No: No. 6

Abstract
PBTP/epoxy/montmorillonite ternary nanocomposites, (PCNs) were prepared by melt intercalation, and their morphologies were investigated by XRD and TEM. The results showed that by using epoxy resin as a compatibiliser, the clay was easily intercalated and dispersed well in the matrix. As such, the PCNs exhibited superior tensile and impact properties than the PBTP alone, although any surplus epoxy dispersed in the PBTP matrix reduced the material performance. The melt viscoelastic behaviour of the PCNs was measured by means of a parallel plate rheometer. The PCN ternary hybrids showed a stronger solid-like response in the lower frequencies than did the samples without epoxy resin. This is said to have been due to the enhancement of percolation network density, and the bridge-like effect of the epoxy linking the clay and the polymer chains. The compatibiliser, therefore, was shown to influence both the morphology and performance of the nanocomposites. The optimum compatibiliser dose of 4 wt% was arrived at by means of a novel crossover point rheological method. 25 refs.

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