The goal of the work presented here was to develop nanocomposites consisting of layered silicates and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). Two nanocomposite preparation methods were compared: first, the usual melt compounding technique, and second, in-situ synthesis of PET in presence of different types of layered silicates. Montmorillonite (MMT) without and with organophilic modification was employed as layered silicate. In most cases, PETs with acceptable properties (molecular weight and discoloration) were synthesized in presence of different MMTs although the molecular weights of the in-situ PETs were lower than the control sample. These materials were used as masterbatch for PET nanocom-posites with 5 wt.% inorganic content. The exfoliation in both types of nanocomposites was not complete, but they showed a good distribution of clay within the polymer matrix.
KoijimaY., UsukiA., KawasumiM., OkadaA., FukushimaY., KurauchiT., and KamigaitoO. (1992). Mechanical Properties of Nylon 6-clay Hybrid, J. Mater. Res., 8: 1185–1189.
2.
JasmundK., and LagalyG. (1993). Reaktionen der Tonminerale, in: Tonminerale und Tone, Steinkopff Verlag Darmstadt, Germany, Chapter 3: 89–159.
3.
Sanchez-SolisA., Garcia-RejonA., and ManeroO. (2003). Production of Nanocomposites of PET-Montmorillonite Clay by an Extrusion Process, Macromol. Symp., 192: 281–292.
4.
LepoittevinB., PantoustierN., DevalckenaereM., AlexandreM., CalbergC., JeromeR., HenristC., RulmontA., and DuboisP. (2003). Polymer/layered Silicat Nanocomposites by Combined Intercalative Polymerization and Melt Intercalation: a Masterbatch Process, Polymer, 44: 2033–2040.
5.
AlexandreM., and DuboisP. (2000). Polymer-layered Silicate Nanocomposites: Preparation, Properties and Uses of a New Class of Materials, Mat. Sci. Eng., 12: 1–63.
6.
WagenerR., and ReisingerT.J.G. (2003). A Rheological Method to Compare the Degree of Exfoliation of Nanocomposites, Polymer, 44: 7513–7518.
7.
MatayabasJ.C., TurnerS.R., SublettB.J., ConnellG.W., GilmerJ.W., and BarbeeR.B. (1998). High I.V. Polyester Compositions Containing Platelet Particles. Patent PCT, WO 98/29499, Eastman Chemical Co.
8.
LeuteritzA., PospiechD., KretzschmarB., WillekeM., JehnichenD., JentzschU., GrundkeK., and JankeA. (2003). Progress in Polypropylene-Nanocomposite Development, Adv. Eng. Mater., 5: 678–681.
9.
PospiechD., KretzschmarB., WillekeM., LeuteritzA., JehnichenD., JankeA., and OmastováM. (2007). Exfoliation Behavior of Montmorillonite Modified by Poly(oxyalkylene)s in Polypropylene and the Properties of the Resulting Nanocomposites, Polym. Eng. Sci., 47: 1–11.
10.
FinelliL., LorenzettiC., MessoriM., SistiL., and VanniniM. (2004). Comparison Between Titanium Tetrabutoxide and a New Commercial Titanium Dioxide Based Catalyst used for the Synthesis of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate), J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 92: 1887–1892.
ReichertP., NitzH., KlinkeS., BrandschR., ThomannR., and MülhauptR. (2000). Poly(propylene)/ organoclay nanocomposite formation: Influence of compatibilizer functionality and organoclay modification, Macromol. Mater. Eng., 275: 8–17.
13.
AwadW.H., GilmanJ.W., NydenM., DavisR.D., HarrisR.H., SuttoT.E., CallahanJ.H., DelongH.C., and TruloveP.C. (2002). Thermal Degradation Studies of Alky-imidazolium Salts and their Application in Nanocomposites, Electrochem. Soc. Proc., 19: 200–212.
14.
DavisC.H., MathiasL.J., GilmanJ.W., SchiraldiD.A., ShieldsJ.R., TruloveP., SuttoT.E., and DelongH.C. (2002). Effects of Melt-Processing Conditions on the Quality of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Montmorillonite Clay Nanocomposites, J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys., 40: 2661–2666.
15.
ImaiY., InukaiY., and TateyamaH. (2003). Properties of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/layered Silicate Nanocomposites Prepared by a Two-step Polymerization Procedure, Polymer J. (Tokyo), 35: 230–235.
16.
ImaiY., NishimuraS., AbeE., TateyamaH., AbikoA., YamaguchiA., AoyamaT., and TaguchiH. (2002). High-Modulus Poly(Ethylene terepthalate)(Expandable Fluorine Mica Nanocomposites with a Novel Reactive Compatibilizer, Chem. Mater., 14: 477–479.
17.
VaiaR.A., VasudevanS., KrawiecW., ScanlonL.G., and GiannelisE.P. (1995). New Polymer Electrolyte Nanocomposites: Melt Intercalation of Poly(ethylene oxide) in Mica-Type Silicates, Adv. Mater., 7: 154–156.
18.
LeuteritzA., PospiechD., KretzschmarB., JehnichenD., HegerK., JentzschU., and WagenknechtU. (2002). Design of Interface in Polypropylene-clay Nanocomposites, Polym. Mat. Sci. & Engin., 87: 297–299.
19.
KwokD.Y., and NeumannA.W. (1999). Contact angle measurement and contact angle interpretation, Adv. Coll. Interf. Sci., 81: 167–249.
