Use of PP Grafted with Itaconic Acid as a New Compatibilizer for PP/Clay Nanocomposites

Abstract

Summary: Functionalized PP samples with different percentages of grafted IA, i.e., 0.7, 1 or 1.8 wt.-%, with similar molecular weights were used as compatibilizers in PP/clay nanocomposites. PP nanocomposites containing 1 wt.-% of organically modified clays, i.e., montmorillonite, natural hectorite and synthetic hectorite and 3 wt.-% of grafted PP with three different percentages of grafted IA as compatibilizers and two commercial PP samples of different molecular weights were prepared by melt blending. The nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, TEM and tensile mechanical measurements. It was found that the molecular weight of PP used as matrix as well as the percentage of grafted IA of the compatibilizer affected the degree of intercalation/exfoliation of the clay and consequently the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. Values of 2 137 MPa for the modulus and 51 MPa for the tensile strength were obtained when natural hectorite was used and 2 117 and 40 MPa were obtained when montmorillonite was used. A comparative study was carried out, where PP grafted with maleic anhydride was used as the compatibilizer. Inferior mechanical properties were obtained for nanocomposites prepared by using this compatibilizer, where values of 1 607 MPa for the tensile modulus and 43 MPa for tensile strength were obtained. This result indicated that IA-grafted PP was far more efficient as compatibilizer for the formation of nanocomposites than commercially available maleic anhydride-grafted PP.Model showing interaction of the organically modified clay with grafted PP used as compatibilizer.

Polypropylene-based wood-plastic composites: Effect of using a coupling agent derived from a renewable resource

“…Both coupling agents used contain 1wt% of maleic anhydride grafted onto PP. The molecular weight of PPgMA is 42,000 g/mol, while PPgIA presents a molecular weight of 90,000 g/mol (Kim et al 2007, Moncada et al 2006. The incorporation of each coupling agent in composite formulation as fixed at 2wt%.…”

Catalytic activity during the preparation of PE/clay nanocomposites by in situ polymerization with metallocene catalysts

“…In this field, some of us have made some contributions related to the preparation of metallocene and Ziegler-Natta polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites by the melt-mixing process using montmorillonite (MMT) and hectorite clays modified with ODA. 17,18 PP/MMT nanocomposites prepared with 1 wt % clay were found to have better mechanical properties compared to nanocomposites containing 3 wt % and 5 wt %. Other authors prepared an isotatic i-PP/MMT composite through in situ polymerization on rac-Me 2 Si(2-Me-4-Ph-Ind) 2 ZrCl 2 19 supported on MMT modified with the functional surfactant (2-hydroxylethyl)hexadecyl diethylammonium iodide and treated with excess MAO.…”

Morphological, thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties of PP/EVOH blends compatibilized with PP‐g‐IA

“…Recently, Moncada et al suggested that polypropylene grafted with itaconic acid (PP‐ g ‐IA) was a more efficient compatibilizer for a PP/Clay nanocomposite. Yazdami‐Pedram et al studied PP/carbon nanotube composites using PP‐ g ‐IA.…”