Influence of Clay on Structure, Thermal Properties and Mechanics of Poly(vinyl acetate)/Maghnite Nanocomposites.

Abstract

Poly (vinyl acetate) (PVAC) based on Algerian clay maghnite was synthesized by an emulsion polymerization process in the present study. The prepared nanocomposites were analyzed by means of FTIR, UV‐visible, XRD, AFM, SEM, TGA and optical microscopy. The results obtained showed a semi‐crystalline structure of the composite system revealed by the XRD scheme. The addition of maghnite to the fillers up to 5 wt % has been shown to reduce the optical band gap energy, while the refractive index is greatly increased. The presence of maghnite in PVAC leads to an increase in surface roughness as measured by AFM analysis. The thermal stability of PVAC was significantly improved by the presence of maghnite in the polymer matrix. The mechanical test results indicate that the tensile strength of the polymer composites was improved by the increase in the concentration of clay platelets. The electrical property data show that as the frequency increases, the dielectric constant decreases and the electrical conductivity increases. The loading content of composites also influences their electrical and mechanical properties. This widens the range of applications for these materials in flexible electronics and in conductive coatings.