Synthesis of poly(butyl acrylate)—laponite nanocomposite nanoparticles for improving the impact strength of poly(lactic acid)

This work aims at preparing and characterizing poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA)—laponite (LRD) nanocomposite nanoparticles and nanocomposite core (PBA‐LRD)‐shell poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles, on the one hand, and the morphology and properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)‐based blends containing PBA‐LRD nanocomposite nanoparticles or (PBA‐LRD)/PMMA core–shell nanoparticles as the dispersed phase, on the other hand. The PBA and (PBA‐LRD)/PMMA nanoparticles were synthesized by miniemulsion or emulsion polymerization using LRD platelets modified by 3‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS). The grafting of MPTMS onto the LRD surfaces was characterized qualitatively using FTIR and quantitatively using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The amounts of LRD in the PBA‐LRD nanocomposites were characterized by TGA. The PBA/PMMA core–shell particles were analyzed by ¹H‐NMR. Their morphology was confirmed by SEM and TEM. Mechanical properties of (PBA‐LRD)/PLA blends and (PBA‐LRD)/PMMA/PLA ones were tested and compared with those of the pure PLA, showing that core–shell particles allowed increasing impact strength of the PLA while minimizing loss in Young modulus and tensile strength. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013