Polymer nanocomposites from renewable matrix and renewable-reactive intercalant

In recent years, polymer nanocomposites recieved large attention due to their improved mechanical, thermal and optical properties as compared to microcomposites and neat polymers. In this project, our objective was to synthesize high performance polymeric nanocomposites from soybean-oil-based polymer matrix and montmorillonite (MMT) clay using an in situ free radical polymerization reaction and characterize them in terms of thermal and dynamic mechanical properties as well as morphology. First, the modifcation of MMT clay was carried out in the presence of a renewable and bio-based intercalant with reactive methacrylate double bond. Then, the organophilic clay was dispersed in acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) / styrene monomer mixture to carry out polymerization reaction with the addition of free radical initiator. The resultant nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of increased nanofiller loading in thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The nanocomposites exhibited improved thermal and dynamic mechanical properties compared with neat acrylated epoxidized soybean oil based polymer matrix. The desired exfoliated nanocomposite structure was achieved when the OrgMMT loading was 1 and 2 wt% whereas partially exfoliated nanocomposite was obtained in 3 wt% loading. It was found that about 400 % and 500 % increments in storage modulus at glass transition and rubbery regions, respectively were achieved at 2 wt% clay loading compared to neat polymer matrix while the lowest thermal degradation rate was gained by introducing 3 wt% clay loading.