Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-carbon monoxide)/layered silicate nanocomposites: Preparation, characterization and properties

Abstract

For the first time, nanocomposites have been synthesized from ethylene-vinyl acetate-carbon monoxide terpolymer (EVACO) by adding 1, 3 and 5 wt% of organo-montmorillonite (O-MMT) by solution blending. By highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), EVACO has been found to crystallize in nano-dimensions. Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXRD) reveals the predominance of intercalated morphology in these nanocomposites, while TEM micrographs reveal the co-existence of exfoliated and intercalated morphologies for these hybrids at all levels of clay loading. O-MMT hinders crystallization of EVACO, and due to this, optical transparency is not affected even at 5% O-MMT loading in these nanocomposites. By incorporation of 5% O-MMT, tensile strength of EVACO increases by 660%; while elongation at break decreases by 500%. Addition of O-MMT significantly reduces the thermal stability of these nanocomposites. 2012 American Scientific Publishers All rights reserved.