Preparation and properties of polycarbonate nanocomposites using attapulgite grafted poly(methyl methacrylate) as a potential nanofiller. Issue 28 (10th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Hang; Yang, Haicun; Zhang, Liu; Ni, Qingting; Gong, Fanghong
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied polymer science. Volume 132:Issue 28(2015)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2015-04-10
• Subjects: Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/app.42262
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8995

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>The Core‐shell hybrid particles with attapulgite (ATP) as the core and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as the shell (ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA) were prepared <italic>via</italic> reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization method. The diameter of ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA was increased to 50–60 nm, and the surface hygroscopicity was decreased observably after surface grafting. Then, ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA hybrid particles were filled into the polycarbonate (PC) by melt mixing to afford nanocomposites, and the mechanical properties, microstructures, thermal stability, and rheological behavior of nanocomposites were investigated by varying ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA concentration in the range 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt % in PC. Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) suggested that there is no esterification reaction between particles and matrix. Slight changes in tensile strength, and noticeable decrease of elongation and impact strength were observed with the increase in ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA particles loading. The morphology evaluated by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) indicated that ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA was dispersed with a diameter range of 80–100 nm, and phase separation was appeared with increasing ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA loadings. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results revealed the thermal stability of composites was strengthened. The disentanglement and interface slip induced by preferred orientation and directional arrangement of ATP‐<italic>g</italic>‐PMMA resulted in lower complex viscosity (η*) and higher loss factor (tan δ) compared with the pristine PC. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. <bold>2015</bold>, <italic>132</italic>, 42262.</p> </abstract>