Synthesis and characterization of elastomeric polyurethane and PU/clay nanocomposites based on an aliphatic diisocyanate

This investigation reports preparation of polyurethane and polyurethane/clay nanocomposites based on polyethylene glycol, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), an aliphatic diisocyanate and 1,4‐ Butanediol as chain extender by solution polymerization. In this case PU/clay nanocomposites were prepared via ex‐situ method using 1, 3, and 5 wt % of Cloisite 30B. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the maximum decomposition temperature (T_max) of the PU/clay nanocomposite is much higher than the pristine PU. The tensile properties improved upon increasing the organoclay (Cloisite 30B) content upto 3 wt %, and then decreased to some extent upon further increasing the nanoparticle loading to 5 wt %. Optical properties of the nanocomposites were studied by UV‐vis spectrophotometer. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the morphology of the nanocomposites. It was observed that with the incorporation of 3 wt % nanoclay the crystallinity in PU nanocomposite increases, then diminishes with further loading. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 3328–3334, 2013     

High performance polyurethane composites with isocyanate‐functionalized carbon nanotubes: Improvements in tear strength and scratch hardness

A microwave‐assisted functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with isocyanate groups allowed a reduction of functionalization time from 24 h to 30 min with no change in the degree of functionalization or in the nanotube characteristics. Polymer nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties were obtained because of the tailored interface by the covalent linkage between the surface‐modified multiwalled‐carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and an elastomeric polyurethane (PUE) matrix. The mechanical data revealed that the composite containing 0.25 wt % of MWCNT‐NCO showed an increase of 31% in tear strength and 28% in static toughness. A good adhesion between the matrix and individually dispersed nanotubes was observed in the scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images. Nanoindentation and nanoscratch experiments were conducted to investigate the properties on the sub‐surface. An increase by a factor of 3 in the scratch hardness was observed for the composite with 0.50 wt % of MWCNT‐NCO with respect to the neat PUE. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44394.     

Optically transparent polycarbonate/clay nanocomposites with improved performance using phosphonium modified organoclay: Preparation and characterizations

The present work focuses on the morphology and properties of polycarbonate (PC)/clay nanocomposites prepared through melt blending and solution blending at two different loadings of organoclay (0.5 and 1 phr). The oraganoclay was prepared by incorporating thermally 2‐oxopropyl triphenyl phosphonium ion (OTPP) into the clay gallery with an intention to preserve the optical transparency of PC in the PC/clay nanocomposites. An increase in gallery height from 1.24 to 1.86 nm along with the extraordinary thermal stability (∼1.34% wt loss at 280°C, after 20 min) of the OTPP modified montmorillonite (OTPP‐MMT) made it suitable for retention of optical transparency of PC and delamination of the clay platelets in the nanocomposites. The morphological analysis revealed that the clay platelets were randomly dispersed into the PC matrix. An increase in glass transition temperature (T_g) as well as thermal stability of the PC in the nanocomposites was evident from thermal analysis. The strength and modulus of PC increased extensively with increase in OTPP‐MMT loading in the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were found to retain optical transparency of PC without generation of any color in both the blending technique. POLYM. COMPOS., 199–212, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Polyurethane/clay nanocomposites with improved helium gas barrier and mechanical properties: Direct versus master‐batch melt mixing route

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/clay nanocomposite films were produced by incorporation of organo‐modified montmorillonite clay (Cloisite 30B) in TPU matrix by two different melt‐mixing routes (direct and master‐batch‐based mixing), followed by compression molding. In master‐batch mixing where the master‐batch was prepared by mixing of clay and TPU in a solvent, better dispersion of clay‐layers was observed in comparison to the nanocomposites produced by direct mixing. As a consequence, superior mechanical and gas barrier properties were obtained by master‐batch mixing route. The master‐batch processing resulted in 284 and 236% increase in tearing strength and tearing energy, respectively, with 5 wt % clay‐loading. Interestingly, in case of master‐batch mixing, the tensile strength, stiffness as well as breaking extension increased simultaneously up to 3 wt % clay‐loading. The helium gas permeability reduced by about 39 and 31% for the TPU/clay nanocomposites produced by mater‐batch and direct mixing routes, respectively, at 3 wt % loading of clay. Finally, the gas permeability results have been compared using three different gas permeability models and a good correlation was observed at lower volume fraction of clay. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46422.     

Poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposites with different clays: Pristine clays and organoclays

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/clay nanocomposites were synthesized using the solution intercalation method. Na ion‐exchanged clays [Na⁺–saponite (SPT) and Na⁺–montmorillonite (MMT)] and alkyl ammonium ion‐exchanged clays (C₁₂–MMT and C₁₂OOH–MMT) were used for the PVA nanocomposites. From the morphological studies, the Na ion‐exchanged clay is more easily dispersed in a PVA matrix than is the alkyl ammonium ion‐exchanged clay. Attempts were also made to improve both the thermal stabilities and the tensile properties of PVA/clay nanocomposite films, and it was found that the addition of only a small amount of clay was sufficient for that purpose. Both the ultimate tensile strength and the initial modulus for the nanocomposites increased gradually with clay loading up to 8 wt %. In C₁₂OOH–MMT, the maximum enhancement of the ultimate tensile strength and the initial modulus for the nanocomposites was observed for blends containing 6 wt % organoclay. Na ion‐exchanged clays have higher tensile strengths than those of organic alkyl‐exchanged clays in PVA nanocomposites films. On the other hand, organic alkyl‐exchanged clays have initial moduli that are better than those of Na ion‐exchanged clays. Overall, the content of clay particles in the polymer matrix affect both the thermal stability and the tensile properties of the polymer/clay nanocomposites. However, a change in thermal stability with clay was not significant. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 3208–3214, 2003     

Synthesis and characterization of polypropylene/clay nanocomposites

Polypropylene/clay (PP/clay) nanocomposites were synthesized via intercalative polymerization. The nanostructure of the composites was investigated by wide‐angle X‐ray diffractometry (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The WAXD patterns of the PP/clay nanocomposites indicated that the characteristic diffraction peak of the clay disappeared. The TEM image showed the clay was exfoliated into nanometer size and dispersed uniformly in the PP matrix. The composites exhibited much higher storage modulus compared to that of pure PP. At temperatures higher than T_g, the storage modulus of the PP/clay nanocomposites with 8.1 wt % clay content increased three times that of the pure PP. Additionally, the thermal stability of the nanocomposites significantly increased. The maximum decomposition temperature was increased by 44°C with the introduction of about 10 wt % clay. The heat‐distortion temperatures (HDTs) of the nanocomposites also increased. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 3611–3617, 2001     

Fracture behavior of thermoplastic polyolefin/clay nanocomposites

A thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) containing 70 wt % styrene–ethylene–butadiene‐styrene‐g‐maleic anhydride and 30 wt % polypropylene and its nanocomposites reinforced with 0.3–1.5 wt % organoclay were prepared by melt mixing followed by injection molding. The mechanical and fracture behaviors of the TPO/clay nanocomposites were investigated. The essential work of fracture (EWF) approach was used to evaluate the tensile fracture behavior of the nanocomposites toughened with elastomer. Tensile tests showed that the stiffness and tensile strength of TPO was enhanced by the addition of low loading levels of organically modified montmorillonite. EWF measurements revealed that the fracture toughness of the TPO/clay nanocomposites increased with increasing clay content. The organoclay toughened the TPO matrix of the nanocomposites effectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Crystallization,mechanical, and fracture behavior of mullite fiber‐reinforced polypropylene nanocomposites

This study describes the reinforcement effect of surface modified mullite fibers on the crystallization, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP). The nanocomposites were developed using polypropylene‐grafted‐maleic anhydride (PP‐g‐MA) as compatibilizer with different weight ratios (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 wt %) of amine functionalized mullite fibers (AMUF) via solution blending method. Chemical grafting of AMUF with PP‐g‐MA resulted in enhanced filler dispersion in the polymer as well as effective filler‐polymer interactions. The dispersion of nanofiller in the polymer matrix was identified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) elemental mapping and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. AMUF increased the Young's modulus of PP in the nanocomposites up to a 5 wt % filler content, however, at 10 wt % loading, a decrease in the modulus resulted due to agglomeration of AMUF. The impact strength of PP increased simultaneously with the modulus as a function of AMUF content (up to 5 wt %). The mechanical properties of PP‐AMUF nanocomposites exhibited improved thermal performance as compared to pure PP matrix, thus, confirming the overall potential of the generated composites for a variety of structural applications. The mechanical properties of 5 wt % of AMUF filled PP nanocomposite were also compared with PP nanocomposites generated with unmodified MUF and the results confirmed superior mechanical properties on incorporation of modified filler. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43725.     

Effect of organoclays on the properties of polyurethane/clay nanocomposite coatings

Linear, one‐binding‐site or two‐binding‐site (N⁺) organifiers with two hydroxyl end groups were synthesized, and novel organoclays were prepared through a cation‐exchange reaction between pristine sodium montmorillonite and the synthesized organifiers. After sonication of the as‐prepared organoclay in N,N′‐dimethylformamide for 10 min, the average size of the clay decreased to about 1 μm. The X‐ray diffraction patterns confirmed that the d‐spacing of the silicate layers of the organoclay expanded from 1.1 to about 1.9 nm and the peak intensity decreased with the molecular weight of the organifier increasing. Polyurethane/clay nanocomposites were synthesized by a one‐shot polymerization method. Both intercalated and exfoliated structures of the layered silicates in the polyurethane matrix were observed from transmission electron microscopy micrographs, and the d‐spacing ranged from 4 to 10 nm. The thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite were enhanced by the introduction of the organoclay into the polyurethane matrix. An approximately 40–46°C increase in the onset decomposition temperature, a 200% increase in the tensile strength with a 0.5 wt % clay loading, and a 49% increase in Young's modulus with a 3 wt % clay loading were achieved. The effects of the molecular weight and the number of binding sites of the organifier on the properties of the nanocomposites were also evaluated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Preparation and characterization of polyurethane–organoclay nanocomposites

Nanocomposite polyurethane (PU)–organoclay materials have been synthesized via in‐situ polymerization. The organoclay is first prepared by intercalation of tyramine into montmorillonite (MMT)‐clay through ion exchange process. The syntheses of polyurethane–organoclay hybrid films containing different ratios of clay were carried out by swelling the organoclay into diol and diamine followed by addition of diisocyanate and then cured. The nanocomposites with dispersed and exfoliated structure of MMT were obtained as evidenced by X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. X‐ray diffraction showed that there is no peak corresponding to d₀₀₁ spacing in organoclay with the ratios up to 20 wt%. SEM images confirmed the dispersion of nanometer silicate layers in the polyurethane matrix. Also, it was found that the presence of organoclay leads to improvement in the mechanical properties. The tensile strength was increased with increasing the organoclay contents to 20 wt% by 221% in comparision to the PU with 0% organoclay. POLYM. COMPOS. 28:108–115, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Preparation and characterization of poly(butylene terephthalate) nanocomposites with various organoclays

Layered‐silicate‐based polymer–clay nanocomposite materials were prepared depending on the surface modification of montmorillonite (MMT). Nanocomposites consisting of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) as a matrix and dispersed inorganic clay modified with cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC), benzyl dimethyl N‐hexadecyl ammonium chloride, and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide by direct melt intercalation were studied. The organoclay loading was varied from 1 to 5 wt %. The organoclays were characterized with X‐ray diffraction (XRD) to compute the crystallographic spacing and with thermogravimetric analysis to study the thermal stability. Detailed investigations of the mechanical and thermal properties as well as a dispersion study by XRD of the PBT/clay nanocomposites were conducted. X‐ray scattering showed that the layers of organoclay were intercalated with intercalating agents. According to the results of a differential scanning calorimetry analysis, clay acted as a nucleating agent, affecting the crystallization. The PBT nanocomposites containing clay treated with CPC showed good mechanical properties because of intercalation into the polymer matrix. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Morphological evolution and mechanical property enhancement of natural rubber/polypropylene blend through compatibilization by nanoclay

Nanocomposites of natural rubber (NR)/polypropylene (PP) (80/20 wt %) blends filled with 5 phr pristine clay were prepared by melt‐mixing process. Effects of clay incorporation technique via conventional melt‐mixing (CV) and masterbatch mixing (MB) methods on nanostructure and properties of the blend nanocomposites were investigated. The XRD, SAXS, WAXD, and TEM results showed that the clays in the NR/PP blend nanocomposites were presented in different states of dispersion and were locally existed at the interface between NR and PP as well as dispersed in the NR matrix. The presence of clay caused unique morphological evolution such as fine fibrillar PP domains. The tensile strength was improved over the unfilled NR/PP blends by 53% and 224%, and the storage modulus at 25 °C was increased by 78% and 120% for the NR/PP/clay nanocomposites prepared by CV and MB methods, respectively. Significant improvement in both properties was particularly obtained from the MB method due to finer dispersion fibrillar PP phase in the NR matrix and stronger interfacial adhesion between NR and PP fibers, as suggested from DMA. The oil resistance of blend nanocomposites was also improved over that of the unfilled NR/PP blend, and this property was further progressed by the masterbatch mixing method. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44574.     

Polyamide nanocomposites with improved toughness

Polymer nanocomposites containing several percent of exfoliated layered silicates are materials with a unique weight/performance ratio. The only parameter that is not enhanced, but even decreased, is toughness. This work focused on the toughness enhancement of these advanced systems with polyamide matrix prepared via melt‐mixing (i.e., by a conventional method of polymer processing having an advantage of easy simultaneous addition of other components). Analogously to ternary polyamide blends with improved mechanical behavior, containing finely and separately dispersed elastomer and rigid polymer, elastomer particles with an average size of 60 nm were incorporated in the nanocomposite. The very low particle size was achieved by in situ reactive compatibilization by using suitably functionalized elastomers. The simultaneously increasing viscosity of the system enhanced exfoliation of the silicate. Melt exfoliated nanocomposites containing 3 wt % of clay and 5 wt % of elastomer particles exhibit increased toughness without significant loss of other properties. Elastomer particles increase toughness by both acting as stress concentrators (by initiating energy absorbing microdeformations) and influencing the clay‐induced matrix crystalline structure. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 288–293, 2005     

Preparation and mechanical properties of clay/polystyrene‐block‐polybutadiene‐block‐polystyrene triblock copolymer (SBS) intercalated nanocomposites using organoclay containing stearic acid

Organoclays containing various amounts of stearic acid (SA) were synthesized, and clay/polystyrene‐block‐polybutadiene‐block‐polystyrene triblock copolymer (SBS) intercalated nanocomposites were prepared using organoclays containing SA by melt‐blending. Montmorillonite was the clay used, and both stearylamine and SA were used as surface modifiers. The amount of SA added was 0, 20, 50 and 100% of the cation‐exchange capacity (CEC). In this study, the effects of SA on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the clay/SBS nanocomposites were investigated. In clay/SBS with 100% CEC of SA, although no exfoliation of the clay occurred, the stacked clay layers were uniformly dispersed at the nanometer level (100–800 nm) without agglomeration. Clay/SBSs containing SA exhibited superior mechanical properties compared to clay/SBS without SA. It was found that SA effectively improved the clay dispersion in the SBS matrix and the mechanical properties of the clay/SBSs. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Enhanced thermal stability of biomedical thermoplastic polyurethane with the addition of cellulose nanocrystals

Freeze‐dried cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were dispersed in the thermoplastic polyurethane [Pellethane 2363‐55D (P55D)] by a solvent casting method to fabricate CNC‐reinforced nanocomposites. This study demonstrated that the addition of small amounts (1–5 wt %) of CNCs to P55D increased the thermal degradation temperature while maintaining a similar stiffness, strength, and elongation of the neat P55D. CNC additions to P55D did not alter the glass‐transition temperature, but the onset decomposition temperature was shifted from 286 to 327°C when 1 wt % CNCs was dispersed in the matrix. The higher onset decomposition temperature was attributed to the formation of hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups on the CNC surface and urethane groups in the hard block of P55D. The ultimate tensile strength and strain to failure (ε_f) of the nanocomposites were minimally affected by additions up to 5 wt % CNCs, whereas the elastic modulus was increased by about 70%. The observation that ε_f was unchanged with the addition of up to 5 wt % CNCs suggested that the flow/sliding of the hard blocks and chains were not hindered by the presence of the CNCs during plastic deformation. The ramifications of this study was that CNC additions resulted in wider processing temperatures of P55D for various biomedical devices while maintaining a similar stiffness, strength, and elongation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41970.     

Crystallization behavior and UV‐protection property of PET‐ZnO nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization

The aim of this study was to investigate the crystallization behavior and UV‐protection property of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)‐ZnO nanocomposits. PET‐ZnO nanocomposites containing 0.5–3.0 wt % of ZnO were successfully synthesized by in situ polymerization. The Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated the silane coupling agent was anchored onto the surface of ZnO. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed ZnO particles were dispersed homogeneously in PET matrix with amount of 0.5–1.0 wt %. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results exhibited that the incorporation of ZnO into PET resulted in increase of the melting transition temperature (T_m) and crystallization temperature (T_c) of PET‐ZnO nanocomposites. The crystallization behavior of PET and PET‐ZnO nanocomposites was strongly affected by cooling rate. ZnO nanoparticles can act as an efficient nucleating agent to facilitate PET crystallization. UV–vis spectrophotometry showed that UV‐ray transmittance of PET‐ZnO nanocomposites decreased remarkably and reached the minimum value of 14.3% with 1.5 wt % of ZnO, compared with pure PET whose UV‐ray transmittance was 84.5%. PET‐ZnO nanocomposites exhibited better UV‐protection property than pure PET, especially in the range of UVA. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Polystyrene/attapulgite nanocomposites prepared via in situ suspension polymerization with redox initiation system

A series of polymer–clay nanocomposites consisting of polystyrene (PS) and attapuglite (ATP) were prepared successfully. First, silane coupling agent containing aromatic tertiary amine groups was synthesized to functionalize ATP (M‐ATP). Then, PS nanocomposites with varied clay loadings were prepared via in situ suspension polymerization process with a redox initiation system consisting of aromatic tertiary amine and benzoyl peroxide. The synthesis of silane coupling agent and functionalization of ATP were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Mechanical properties, morphology, thermal stability, and rheological behavior of nanocomposites were investigated to illuminate the effects of M‐ATP on the structure and properties of nanocomposites. Field‐emission scanning electron microscope images revealed an ideal dispersion of M‐ATP and an enhanced toughness of nanocomposites. The improved interface interaction between M‐ATP and PS matrix endowed the nanocomposites with outstanding mechanical properties and thermal stability. The formation of hybrid network in the nanocomposites containing 3 wt % M‐ATP resulted in higher complex viscosity (η*), storage modulus (G′), and lower loss factor (tanδ) compared with the pristine PS and PS/ATP nanocomposites. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41567.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene‐octene elastomer/clay/biodegradable starch nanocomposites

The aim of this work is the production of new nanocomposites from metallocene polyethylene‐octene elastomer (POE), montmorillonite and biodegradable starch by means of a melt blending method. Characterizations of clay, modified clay, POE, POE‐g‐AA, and the hybrids produced from polymer, clay, and/or starch were performed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry analyzer (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Instron mechanical tester. As to the results, organophilic clay can be well dispersed into acrylic acid grafted polyethylene‐octene elastomer (POE‐g‐AA) in nanoscale sizes since cetyl pyridium chloride is partially compatible with POE‐g‐AA and allows POE‐g‐AA chains to intercalate into clay layers. Based on consideration of thermal and mechanical properties, it is also found that 12 wt % of clay content is optimal for preparation of POE‐g‐AA/clay nanocomposites. The new partly biodegradable POE‐g‐AA/clay/starch hybrid could obviously improve the elongation and the tensile strength at break of the POE‐g‐AA/starch hybrid since the former can give the smaller starch phase size and nanoscale dispersion of silicate layers in the polymer matrix. The nanocomposites produced from our laboratory can provide a stable tensile strength at break when the starch content is up to 40 wt %. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 397–404, 2005     

Intercalated clay structures and amorphous behavior of solution cast and melt pressed poly(ethylene oxide)–clay nanocomposites

The polymer nanocomposite (PNC) films consisted of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and sodium cations montmorillonite (MMT) clay were prepared by aqueous solution casting and direct melt press compounding techniques, whereas the films of PEO with trimethyl octadecyl ammonium cations organo‐modified montmorillonite (OMMT) clay were formed by melt pressed technique. The clay concentrations in the nanocomposites used are 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 20 wt % of the PEO weight. The X‐ray diffraction patterns of these nanocomposites were measured in the angular range (2θ) of 3.8–30°. The values of basal spacing d₀₀₁ of MMT/OMMT, clay gallery width W_cg, d‐spacings of PEO crystal reflections d₁₂₀ and d₁₁₂, and their corresponding crystallite size L, and the peaks intensity I (counts) were determined for these nanocomposites. Results reveal that the nanocomposites have intercalated clay structures and the amount of intercalation increases with the increase of clay concentration. As compared to melt pressed PEO–MMT nanocomposites, the amount of clay intercalation is higher in aqueous solution cast nanocomposites. At 20 wt % MMT dispersion in PEO matrix, the solution cast PEO–MMT nanocomposite almost changes into amorphous phase. The melt press compounded PEO–OMMT films show more intercalation as compared to the PEO–MMT nanocomposites prepared by same technique. In melt pressed nanocomposites, the PEO crystalline phase significantly reduces when clay concentration exceeds 3 wt %, which is evidenced by the decrease in relative intensity of PEO principal crystalline peaks. The effect of interactions between the functional group (ethylene oxide) of PEO and layered sheets of clay on both the main crystalline peaks of PEO was separately analyzed using their XRD parameters in relation to structural conformations of these nanocomposites. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39898.     

Synthesis and Thermal Characterization of Polyurethane/Clay Nanocomposites Based on Palm Oil Polyol

Polyurethanes (PUs) are very versatile polymeric materials with a wide range of physical and chemical properties. PUs also have desirable properties, such as high abrasion resistance, tear strength, shock absorption, flexibility, and elasticity. Although they have poor thermal stability, it can be improved by using treated clay.

The objective of the present work is to study the thermal stability of polyurethane, polyurethane/montmorillonite (PU CTAB-mont 3% wt), and polyurethane/montmorillonite containing moca (PU Moca CTAB-mont 3% wt) nanocomposites based on palm oil polyol.

The interest of investigating the synthesis of polyurethane/clay nanocomposites based on palm oil polyol is to explore the use of palm oil polyol to partially replace petrochemical-based polyol.

Polyurethane/clay nanocomposites were prepared by a pre-polymer method and evaluated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FTIR) to determine micro-domain structures of segmented PU, PU CTAB-mont 3% wt, and PU Moca CTAB-mont 3% wt. The morphology of the nanocomposites was characterized by X-ray diffraction (X-RD), and flame retardant was investigated with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The result showed that in comparison with the virgin polyurethane, adding clay and moca demonstrated better thermal stability.