Polyolefin-based nanocomposites: the effect of organosilane on organoclay dispersion

This work dealt with the morphology and properties of polypropylene/organoclay (PP/OMMt) nanocomposites prepared using maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) or organosilane (OTMS) as a compatibilizing agent. The content of OMMt was 2 wt%, and different concentrations of OTMS were used to obtain OTMS/OMMt mass ratios of 0/1, 1/1, 0.5/1 or 0.25/1. The results of wide-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy investigations showed that the OTMS promoted the total exfoliation of OMMt in the PP matrix, while the OMMt yielded a micrometer-scale dispersion when PP-g-MA was used. In general, the OTMS satisfactorily compatibilized the PP/OMMt nanocomposites, increasing the modulus of the PP matrix. When a hybrid compatibilizer of OTMS/PP-g-MA was used, better thermal and mechanical properties were achieved.