EFFECTS OF PREPARATION METHODS OF ORGANOCLAYS WITH POLYVINYL ALCOHOL IN THEIR COMPATIBILITY WITH HDPE. THERMAL STABILITY

CELESTE CARRERA; ELEONORA ERDMANN; HUGO DESTÉFANIS

The Global Advanced Research Journal of Engineering, Technology and Innovation

Global Advanced Research Journals

Año: 2013 vol. 2 p. 223 - 230

2315-5124

In this paper, the effect of polyvinyl alcohol addition on organoclay obtained by in situ polymerization andsubsequent alcoholysis of polyvinyl acetate is studied. The incorporation of the monomer is carried outfollowing two procedures. The first is the incorporation of the monomer by direct contact between themonomer and the organoclay. The second procedure involves a first step of impregnating the organoclaywith propyl alcohol and the subsequent incorporation of the monomer. Both procedures consist of thepolymerization in situ via a free radical mechanism. PVA modified clays showed substantial improvementsin thermal properties with respect to the organoclay (MMTHDTMA), corresponding to the greater stability toclay obtained by direct contact with the monomer, PVAMMT/HDTMA (VA). The clays prepared by both methodswere incorporated into a HDPE matrix by melt blending, to study the effect of the method of preparing theorganoclay with PVA in the polymer/clay compatibility and the effect on their thermal properties. Thematerial characterization techniques were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), thermal analysis (TG, DTG, DSC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show aclear improvement in the HDPE thermal properties with the addition of organoclays containing PVA andallow a discussion of effect of preparation on compatibility and improved thermal properties.