Effect of Montmorillonite on the Crystallization and Thermal Degradation of Poly(propylene-co-ethylene-co-1-butene) Nanocomposites

VERÓNICA RIECHERT; MARCELO DANIEL FAILLA; LIDIA MARIA QUINZANI

JOURNAL OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS

SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2016 vol. 30 p. 741 - 761

0892-7057

Publicación on-line: Julio-2016Publicación impresa: 30(6) 741-761 (2017)Resumen: Polymeric nanocomposites based onpoly(propylene-co-ethylene-co-1-butene) (PEBC) were elaborated by melt mixingusing an organophilic montmorillonite (o-MMT), and maleated PEBC (PEBCg) ascompatibilizer. The effect of clay concentration, PEBCg:o-MMT ratio, and graftingdegree of the compatibilizer, were consider. X-ray diffraction and scanningelectron microscopy show formation of partially intercalated structures in allcompatibilized composites with well distributed small tactoids. According tothe differential scanning calorimetry results, the anhydride groups of thecompatibilizer have a marginal nucleating effect, while the o-MMT causes aslight decrease in the crystallization temperature of the polymer. PEBCpresents the largest activation energy of crystallization, Ea, while the compositesshow lower Ea than their matrices. It is alsoobserved that the rate of degradation of PEBC is not affected by the presenceof PEBCg. The nanoclay, on the other hand, retards the decomposition process ofthe polymeric matrix in about 40°C and augments its rate of degradationapproximately 4 times.