Crystallization Controlled by Layered Silicate in Various Polymeric Nanocomposites
Joo Young NAM, Masami OKAMOTO, Suprakas SINHA RAY, Pralay MAITI
Advanced Polymeric Materials Engineering, Toyota Technological Institute
JAPAN

Keywords: nanocomposite, superstructure, nanotranscrystallite

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We have prepared the polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites by using various polymers of polyolefin, nylon 6, and polyester via melt extrusion. The layered silicate is organically modified to four different types and then used to prepare nanocomposites; three are modified with functionalized ammonium salts and fourth one is a phosphonium salt modified the layered silicate. The superstructures of these nanocomposites from few nanometers to micrometer order were investigated by using a wide-angle X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscope, polarizing optical microscopy and light scattering. The superstructure of nanocomposite has changed with type of polymer; the nano-transcrystallites was observed on the layered silicate surfaces for nylon 6/clay nanocomposite. The difference of layered structure in the namocomposites with clay was also observed. We will be discussed for variety of superstructure in these nanocomposites.