Strategies for Polycaprolactone - Clay Nanocomposite Films Preparation

LEANDRO N. LUDUEÑA; VERA A. ALVAREZ; ANALÍA VAZQUEZ

Santiago de Compostela ,España

Conferencia; FIRST Young Polymer Scientists Conference and Fifth Short Course on Block Copolymer-Based Nanomaterials; 2007

European Center of Nanostructured Polymers (ECNP); Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM) - Italy; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela - Spain

Nanocomposites of C30B and PCL were prepared by two techniques: casting (laboratory scaletechnique) and intensive mixing. In the case of casting, dichloromethane produced holes in theevaporation surface decreasing the mechanical properties. An appropriate solvent is critical in theapplication of this technique. In both cases, a mixed clay structure, intercalated and exfoliated,coexisted in nanocomposites. The dispersion degree was higher for intensive mixing and noevidence of particles agglomeration was found while for casting the agglomeration of clayparticles seems to begin at 7.5 wt. %.