Preparation and characterization of rigid poly (vinyl chloride)/MMT nanocomposites

Abstract In this article, a Haake torque rheometer equipped with an internal mixer is used to study the influence of the amount of sodium montmorillonite (Na+‐MMT) and organically modified MMT (O‐MMT) on the characteristics of rigid poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC)/Na+‐MMT and PVC/O‐MMT nanocomposites, respectively. It is observed that the fusion time and temperature of the rigid PVC/Na+‐MMT nanocomposites are decreased with increasing the amount of Na+‐MMT. On the contrast, the fusion time and temperature of the rigid PVC/O‐MMT nanocomposites are increased with increasing the amount of O‐MMT. Results of X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) indicate that MMT is partially encapsulated and intercalated in the rigid PVC/Na+‐MMT nanocomposites. However, results of XRD and TEM show MMT is partially intercalated and exfoliated in the rigid PVC/O‐MMT nanocomposites. Tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation at break of the rigid PVC/MMT (including PVC/Na+‐MMT and PVC/O‐MMT) nanocomposites were improved simultaneously with adding 1–3 wt % Na+‐MMT or O‐MMT with respect to those of pristine PVC. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1465–1474, 2005