Osamu Yoshida, Masami Okamoto*
Advanced Polymeric Nanostructured Materials
Engineering,
Tempaku,
Abstract:
The polyester-based nanocomposites were prepared via melt extrusion method using different types of intercalants and nano-fillers having different charge densities. In order to understand the direct polymer melt intercalation into the nano-galleries, the interdigitated layer structure of the organically modified layered silicate (OMLS) where the intercalants are oriented with some inclination to the host layer in the interlayer space, was proposed. The interdigitated layer structure implied the different orientation angle can adopt, when the polymer chains penetrate into the galleries, giving a change of the basal spacing after intercalation, at the same time, apparently provides a balance between the polymer penetration and different orientation angle of the intercalants. After polymer melt intercalation, the smaller initial interlayer opening led to the larger interlayer expansion, and provided almost same final interlayer opening. The necessity of the pressure drop into the nano-galleries, which make the polymer penetration more difficult, are discussed.