| Abstract: | Liquid‐crystalline epoxy–organoclay nanocomposites were synthesized based on two different liquid‐crystalline epoxy monomers, 4, 4′‐diglycidyloxybiphenyl (BP) and hydroquinone bis(4‐epoxypropylbenzoate) (HB). The X‐ray diffraction patterns of BP–organoclay (93A) hybrids indicate that BP diffuses into the organoclay layers and increases d‐spacing from 2.3 to 3.7 nm either in a solvent or in the melting state. The dynamic differential scanning calorimetry results indicate that the alkylammonium ion in the clay gallery catalyzes the epoxy ring‐opening reaction with a diamine curing agent. The fast intergallery polymerization forms the exfoliated nanocomposite if the content of organoclay is below 2 %. But an intercalated nanocomposite is obtained with an increase of organoclay to 10 %. The nanocomposite with 5 % of organoclay is a mixture of the two types. Polarizing optical microscopy photographs of the cured products showed that the liquid‐crystalline phase is formed with or without organoclay. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry |
