Synthesis and characterization of PS-clay nanocomposite by emulsion polymerization

Summary Polystyrene-Na⁺-montmorillonite(PS-Na⁺-MMT) nanocomposites are prepared by a simple emulsion polymerization. The X-ray diffraction(XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR) analysis confirm that polystyrene(PS) macromolecules can be inserted between lamella layers and whose layer separation is consequently higher than in the polymer-free clay. The enhanced thermal properties of composites are measured by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA) thermogram and indicate that the glass transition and the decomposition onset temperature of obtained nanocomposites are found to be moved to the higher temperature region. The increased Young's modulus of the obtained nanocomposites is ascribed to the intercalation of PS in clay galleries as well as the fine dispersion of clay particles into the polymer matrix. Received: 23 February 1999/Revised version: 26 March 1999/Accepted: 1 April 1999