Title: THE PROPERTIES OF MELT-BLENDED COMPATIBILIZED METALLOCENE POLYETHYLENE/CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES
Page Range: p.27-36
Author(s): Wen-Chih Chen; Sun-Mou Lai; Zi Way Wang; Rong Yu Qiu
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 21
Issue No: No.1
Abstract
Although it is well known to employ compatibiliser to assist clay dispersion in thermoplastic/clay systems, the properties of compatibilisers have often been neglected. Metallocene polyethylene (mPE)/clay nanocomposites were prepared via a melt-blending approach to further investigate this compatibilisation effect. Maleated mPE (mPE-g-MA) was also prepared as a compatibiliser to improve the dispersion of commercial organoclay. The mPE/mPE-g-MA/clay compatibilised systems showed good dispersion of clay or swollen tactoids through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) assessments. The compatibilised cases showed slightly higher crystallisation temperatures at higher clay contents than their counterparts without any compatibiliser. The mechanical properties of the investigated systems were rather complex and unusual. The Young’s modulus of compatibilised nanocomposites showed slightly higher values in all investigated cases, stemming from the more effective interfacial interaction. The tensile strength of mPE/clay systems increased with increasing clay content; however, that of mPE/mPE-g-MA/clay systems decreased with increasing clay content due to possible heterogeneous microgel (bound polymer) formation in the compatibilised clay. Lower tear strength for compatibilised cases was found, which was attributed to the low tear strength of the compatibiliser and microgel formation, along with the clay moiety serving as inorganic crosslinks to give less energy dissipation during deformation. The results indicated that high dispersion of clay did not guarantee high strength, and the mechanical properties should be carefully evaluated to exploit the reinforcement of nanocomposites. 32 Refs.
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