Preparation and Characterization of Sepiolite-Poly(ethyl methacrylate) and Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Nanocomposites

Poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) nanocomposites with sepiolite in pristine and silylated form were prepared using the solution intercalation method and characterized by the measurements of XRD, TEM, FTIR-ATR, TG/DTG, and DSC. The TEM analysis indicated that the volume fraction of fibers in sepiolite decreased and the fiber bundles dispersed in PEMA and PHEMA at a nanometer scale. These results regarding TEM micrographs were in agreement with the data obtained by XRD. The increase in thermal stability of nanocomposites of PEMA is higher than that of PHEMA according to the data obtained from TG curves. The DTG analysis revealed that sepiolite/modified sepiolite caused some changes, as confirmed by FTIR in the thermal degradation mechanism of the polymers. T(g) temperatures of PEMA and PHEMA usually increased upon the addition of sepiolite/modified sepiolite. In addition, modification of sepiolite with 3-APTS had a slight influence on thermal properties of the nanocomposites. POLYM. COMPOS., 30:1585-1594, 2009. (c) 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers