Melt rheology and processability of exfoliated polypropylene (PP)/layered silicate nanocomposites were investigated. The nanocomposites were prepared by melt compounding process in the presence or absence of a PP-based maleic anhydride compatibilizer. PP/layered silicate nanocomposites showed typical rheological properties of exfoliated nanocomposites such as nonterminal solid-like plateau behavior at low frequency region in oscillatory shear flow, higher steady shear viscosity at low shear rate region, and outstanding strain hardening behavior in uniaxial elongational flow. The melt processability of exfoliated PP/layered silicate nano-composites was significantly improved due to good dispersion of layered silicates and increased molecular interaction between the PP matrix and the layered silicate organoclay. Small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy results revealed that the layered silicate organoclay was exfoliated and good interaction between PP matrix and organoclay was achieved by using the PP-g-MAH compatibilizer.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.