Comparison of Polyamide 66-Organoclay Binary and Ternary Nanocomposites

Polyamide 66-Lotader (R) 2210 blends (95/5 w/w), polyamide 66-Cloisite (R) 15A binary nanocomposites (98/2 w/w), and polyamide 66-Lotader (R) 2210-Cloisite (R) 15A ternary nanocomposites (93/5/2 w/w) were prepared by twin-screw extrusion, and the changes in mechanical properties, morphology, and flow properties of the materials prepared by different mixing sequences were investigated in this study. Lotader (R) 2210, which is a random terpolymer of ethylene, butyl acrylate, and maleic anhydride, was used as the impact modifier for polyamide 66 blends as well as polyamide 66 based nanocomposites. The best dispersion level, highest mechanical properties, highest viscosity values, and smallest elastomeric domain sizes were obtained for the mixing sequence in which all the components forming the ternary nanocomposites were compounded simultaneously. Incorporation sequence of either the organoclay or the impact modifier into the polymeric matrix was varied in the other mixing sequences, and this resulted in poorer distribution of the organoclay platelets and elastomeric domains in the matrix owing to insufficient shear intensity applied on the components in a single extrusion step. Toughness values of the ternary nanocomposites were improved compared with the binary nanocomposites upon addition of the impact modifier into polymer-organoclay combination. It was concluded that the compounding sequence of the components plays a significant role in the dispersion of organoclay and the properties of the nanocomposites, because it directly affects the interaction between the different phases. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 28: 155-164, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20158