Abstract
Montmorillonite samples treated with hexyltrimethoxysilane (HTMS) or octadecyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS) were further ion-exchanged by N-lauryldiethanolamine (LEA) hydrochloride. The composites of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate-co-lactate) (PBSL) and the obtained LEA-modified montmorillonites treated with HTMS or OTMS (HTMS-LEA-M or OTMS-LEA-M) were prepared by a polymer melt intercalation method. Although the obtained composites had little difference in the quantity of intercalated polymer as compared with PBSL/LEA-modified montmorillonite as shown by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy studies of the PBSL composites revealed that the extent of clay dispersion is certainly improved. Especially the PBSL/OTMS-LEA-M composites had a very fine and homogeneous dispersion of clay. The storage modulus at the rubbery state and tan δ peak temperature by dynamic viscoelastic measurement of the composites increased by use of HTMS-LEA-M or OTMS-LEA-M. The use of the alkyltrimethoxysilane-treated clay was also effective for the increase of the tensile modulus. Especially, the PBSL/OTMS-LEA-M nanocomposites with inorganic contents of 5 wt% and 10 wt% had 2 and 3.5 times higher tensile moduli than the control PBSL, respectively.
