Laboratory of Polymer Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zographou, Athens 157 80, Greece
Abstract:
The traditional PA 6.6 production route, i.e. solution melt polymerization followed by extrusion, is applied to the in situ intercalation of PA 6.6/clay nanocomposites. Organoclays of different types are tested and the derived nanocomposites are thoroughly characterized in terms of molecular weight, thermal properties and morphology. Reaction acceleration is found in the presence of fully exchanged organoclays, which is attributed to a chain extension mechanism based on clay SiOH groups. Analysis of the nanocomposites' nanostructure indicates that the applied solution melt polymerization process results in some flocculation of the tested organoclays, which is improved in some cases after extrusion and leads to partially exfoliated nanocomposites.
