Dispersion characterization in layered double hydroxide/Nylon 66 nanocomposites using FIB imaging |
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| Authors: | Y D Zhu G C Allen J M Adams D Gittins M Herrero P Benito P J Heard |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Interface Analysis Center, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BS, United Kingdom;2. School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, United Kingdom;3. Performance Minerals and Pigments, Central R&D, IMERYS Minerals Ltd., Par Moor Center, St. Austell, PL24 2SQ, United Kingdom;4. Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain |
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| Abstract: | Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), a newly emerging 2D host material, consist of cationic brucite-like layers and exchangeable interlayer anions. In this work, the morphology and dispersion of LDH particles in LDH/Nylon 66 (salt) nanocomposites has been investigated using focused ion beam (FIB) techniques, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The FIB images show that LDHs are present in the polymer phase dispersed to different degrees, with partial intercalation, exfoliation, and aggregation all being observed. The most even dispersion was achieved in nanocomposites with the lowest loading (0.5 wt % LDH). Residual tactoids and agglomerates were most common in the samples made with the highest concentration of LDHs studied here (5 wt %). The dispersion observed using FIB was consistent with TEM and XRD analysis, yet this technique had significant benefits in terms of time and simplicity over these “conventional” technologies. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 |
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| Keywords: | Nylon 66 LDH nanocomposite dispersion FIB |
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