Poly(butylene terephthalate)/clay nanocomposite compatibilized with poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate). I. Isothermal crystallization

✍ Scribed by Jiann-Wen Huang

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 287 KB
• Volume: 110
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.28819

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/clay nanocomposite was prepared by blending PBT and commercial modified montmorillonite clays via a extruder by using poly(ethylene‐co‐glycidyl methacrylate) (PEGMA) as a compatibilizer (PBT/PEGMA/Clay). PEGMA and clay were also blended with PBT to prepare PBT/PEGMA and PBT/Clay, respectively. The morphology was investigated by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The clays were aggregated together and phase separation was observed in PBT/Clay. The clays were exfoliated in PBT/PEGMA/Clay. The equilibrium melting temperature was estimated by linear and nonlinear Hoffman‐Weeks relation. The influence of the PEGMA and clay on the PBT crystallizable ability was also investigated by Avrami model and undercooling (difference between crystallization and equilibrium melting temperature). Hoffman‐Lauritzen relation was used to estimate chain fold surface free energy. The exfoliated silicates cause a large number nucleus center to enhance the crystallization in PBT/PEGMA/Clay. The presence of PEGMA can react with the PBT and an increase in viscosity would reduce molecular mobility and crystallization in PBT/PEGMA. The aggregated clays have a confinement effect on the segmental motion of PBT and hinder the crystallization in PBT/Clay. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008