Enhancing the integration of bentonite clay with polycaprolactone by intercalation with a cationic surfactant: effects on clay orientation and composite tensile properties

RIVAS-ROJAS, PATRICIA C.; OLLIER, ROMINA P.; ALVAREZ, VERA A.; HUCK-IRIART, CRISTIÁN

JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2021

0022-2461

Polycaprolactone (PCL)-based nanocomposites reinforced with different clayloadings (1.5, 3 and 5 wt%) of neat and organo-modified bentonites were suc-cessfully fabricated using twin-screw melt extrusion followed by melt com-pression. The whole processing of the materials, including the organicmodification of bentonite with benzalkonium chloride (CBK), which is a mixtureof cationic surfactants with biocide properties, and the preparation of thenanocomposites by melt extrusion, was fully carried out at pilot scale. Theresulting materials were structurally, thermally and mechanically characterized.Our results suggest that while raw natural bentonite acted as a regular inorganicreinforcement, CBK intercalation enhanced the compatibility of the clay with thepolymeric matrix, evidenced in an increase in the tensile strength and Young?smodulus in a factor of ca. 2 respect to neat PCL values, with only a 3 wt%organoclay loading. The modified clay presented a strong orientation within thematrix due to the material processing and manufacture, registered by small-angle X-ray scattering experiments.