Preparation and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/Maleic Anhydride Compatibilized Polypropylene/Organo-Vermiculite Nanocomposites

Polypropylene/Maleic anhydride compatibilized polypropylene (MPP)/Organo-Vermiculite nanocomposites with different clay loadings were prepared via melt mixing using a twin screw extruder. The vermiculite (VMT) was pre-modified with Maleic anhydride (MA) by ball milling. The mechanism of VMT modification by MA was discussed. The resultant PP/MPP/OVMT nanocomposites possess an intercalated or exfoliated structure as confirmed by both wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mechanical property tests show that the tensile strength, flexural strength of these nanocomposites increase dramatically with the OVMT loading; the fracture toughness remain almost unchanged, and the Charpy impact strength decrease slightly.