Preparation and properties of aramid/layered silicate nanocomposites by solution intercalation technique

Polymer—clay nanocomposites were synthesized from aromatic polyamide and organoclay using the solution intercalation technique. Polyamide chains were produced through the reaction of 4,4′‐oxydianiline (ODA) and isophthaloyl chloride (IPC) in N, N′‐dimethyl acetamide, using stoichiometry yielding chains with carbonyl chloride end groups. The intercalation of sodium montmorillonite (Na‐MMT) was carried out using p‐phenylene diamine as a swelling agent through an ion exchange reaction. Different concentrations of organoclay were blended with the polyamide solution for complete dispersion of clay throughout the matrix. The resulting composite films were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), mechanical testing, thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and water absorption measurements. The XRD pattern and morphology of the nanocomposites revealed the formation of exfoliated and intercalated clay platelets in the matrix. The film containing a small amount of clay was semitransparent and had a tensile strength of the order of 70 MPa (relative to the 52 MPa of the pure aramid). Thermal decomposition temperatures were in the range of 300–450°C and the weight of the samples remaining after heating to 900°C was found to be roughly proportional to the clay loading. DSC showed a systematic increase in the glass transition temperature with increase in clay content. Water absorption of the pristine aramid film was rather high (5.7%), which reduced upon loading of organoclay. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation and characterization of new poly(amide–imide) reinforced layer silicate nanocomposite containing N,N′-pyrromellitoyl-bis-l-phenyl acetic acid

Two new samples of poly(amide–imide)/montmorillonite reinforced nanocomposites containing N,N′-pyrromellitoyl-bis-l-phenyl acetic acid moiety in the main chain were synthesized by a convenient solution intercalation technique. Poly(amide–imide) (PAI) 3 as a source of polymer matrix was synthesized by the direct polycondensation reaction of N,N′-pyrromelitoyl-bis-l-phenyl acetic acid 1 with 4,4′-diamino diphenyl ether 2 in the presence of triphenyl phosphite (TPP), CaCl₂, pyridine and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Morphology and structure of the resulting PAI-nanocomposite films 4a and 4b with 10% and 20% silicate particles were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of clay dispersion and the interaction between clay and polymeric chains on the properties of nanocomposite films were investigated by using UV–vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and water uptake measurements.     

Inclusion of aramid chains into the layered silicates through solution intercalation route

Aramid–organoclay nanocomposites were fabricated through solution intercalation technique. Montmorillonite was modified with p-amino benzoic acid in order to have compatibility with the matrix. The effect of clay dispersion and the interaction between clay and polyamide chains on the properties of nanocomposites were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), tensile testing of thin films, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and water uptake measurements. Excessive clay dispersion was achieved even on the addition of high proportions of clay. The structural investigations confirmed the formation of delaminated nanostructures at low clay contents and disordered intercalated morphology at higher clay loadings. The tensile behavior and thermal stability significantly amplified while permeability reduced with increasing dispersibility of organoclay in the polyamide matrix.     

Effect of surface modification of montmorillonite on the properties of aromatic polyamide/clay nanocomposites

The surface modification of montmorillonite clay was carried out through ion‐ exchange reaction using p‐phenylenediamine as a modifier. This modified clay was employed to prepare aromatic polyamide/organoclay nanocomposite materials. The dispersion behavior of clay was examined in the polyamide matrix. Polyamide chains were synthesized from 4‐aminophenyl sulfone and isophthaloyl chloride (IPC) in dimethylacetamide. These amide chains were suitably end‐capped with carbonyl chloride end groups to interact chemically with modified montmorillonite clay. The resulting nanocomposite films containing 2–20 wt% of organoclay were characterized by TEM, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thin‐film tensile testing; thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and water absorption measurements. Mechanical testing revealed that modulus and strength improved up to 6 wt% organoclay loading while elongation and toughness of nanocomposites decreased with the addition of clay content in the matrix. Thermal decomposition temperatures of the nanocomposites were in the range 225–450 °C. These nanocomposites expressed increase in the glass‐transition temperature values relative to pure polyamide describing interfacial interactions among the phases. The percent water uptake of these composites reduced upon the addition of modified layered silicate depicting improved barrier properties. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal properties from membrane of polyamide 6/montmorillonite clay nanocomposites obtained by immersion precipitation method

The aim of this work was to obtain membranes from polyamide 6/montmorillonite clay nanocomposites through the phase inversion technique. The nanocomposites and membranes from polyamide 6/montmorillonite clay were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetry (TG) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Microporous and asymmetric membranes were successfully obtained from nanocomposites and the results showed that the salts were incorporated by intercalation between the organoclay layers and, apparently that the nanocomposites and membranes were thermally more stable than the pure polyamide.     

Effect of the solvent on the properties of solutions of polysulfone-polyethersulfone blends

The effect of the solvent on the properties of concentrated solutions of polysulfone-polyethersulfone blends, which can be used to produce film and fibrous materials, is studied. It is found that equiconcentrated solutions of polysulfone-polyethersulfone blends, at the same ratio of polymers in N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, significantly differ in structure and rheological and optical properties. Solutions in N,N-dimethylacetamide are polydisperse emulsions, while solutions in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone are systems composed of closely sized interpenetrating fields of polysulfone and polyethersulfone solutions, in which the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium cannot be detected. The turbidity-spectrum method is used to show that, after the introduction of the second (incompatible) polymer, the average size of supramolecular particles significantly increases in N,N-dimethylacetamide and hardly changes in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone relative to the particle sizes in solutions of the individual polymers. It is determined that these differences results from the different thermodynamic qualities of N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone with respect to polysulfone.     

Investigating the structure–property relationship of aromatic–aliphatic polyamide/layered silicate hybrid films

Surface treated montmorillonite was used to prepare nanocomposites with aromatic–aliphatic polyamide by solution intercalation technique. The polyamide chains were produced through polycondensation of 4-aminophenyl sulfone with sebacoyl chloride in dimethyl acetamide. Compatibility between the polymer and organoclay was achieved through carbonyl chloride end-capped amide chains prepared by adding extra sebacoyl chloride near the end of polymerization reaction. The nanocomposites morphology and clay dispersion were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Delaminated and intercalated morphologies were observed for different loading of organoclay. Tensile strength and modulus improved for nanocomposites with optimum organoclay content (10-wt.%). Thermal stability and glass transition temperature of nanocomposites increased relative to pristine polyamide with augmenting organoclay content. Water uptake of these materials decreased as compared to the neat polyamide indicating reduced permeability.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel aromatic polyamides containing 3-trifluoromethyl-substituted triphenylamine

A new 3-trifluoromethyl-substituted triphenylamine-containing aromatic diacid monomer, N,N-bis(4-carboxyphenyl)-3-trifluoromethylaniline, was prepared by the substitution reaction of 3-trifluoromethylaniline with 4-fluorobenzonitrile, followed by alkaline hydrolysis of the dinitrile intermediate. Novel aromatic polyamides with 3-trifluoromethyl-substituted triphenylamine moieties were prepared from the diacid and various aromatic diamines via the direct phosphorylation polycondensation. All the polyamides were amorphous and readily soluble in many polar organic solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and could be solution-cast into transparent, tough, and flexible films with good mechanical properties. They exhibited good thermal stability with relatively high glass-transition temperatures (258–327°C), 10% weight-loss temperatures above 500°C, and char yields higher than 60% at 800°C in nitrogen. These polymers had low dielectric constants of 3.22–3.70 (100 Hz), low moisture absorption in the range of 1.75–2.58%, and high transparency with an ultraviolet–visible absorption cut-off wavelength in the 375–395 nm range. Cyclic voltammograms of the polyamide films cast onto an indium tin oxide coated glass substrate exhibited a reversible oxidation redox couple with oxidation half-wave potentials (E_1/2) of 0.95–1.00 V vs. Ag/AgCl in an acetonitrile solution.     

Effect of maleic anhydride-grafted ethylene-propylene rubber on the mechanical, rheological and morphological properties of organoclay reinforced polyamide 6/polypropylene nanocomposites

Polyamide 6/polypropylene (PA6/PP = 70/30 parts) blends containing 4 phr (parts per hundred resin) of organophilic modified montmorillonite (organoclay) were compatibilized with maleic anhydride-grafted ethylene-propylene rubber (EPRgMA). The blends were melt compounded in twin screw extruder followed by injection molding. The mechanical properties of PA6/PP nanocomposites were studied by tensile and flexural tests. The microstructure of the nanocomposite were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The dynamic mechanical properties of the PA6/PP blend-based nanocomposites were analyzed by using a dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMTA). The rheological properties were conducted from plate/plate rheometry via dynamic frequency sweep scans. The melt viscosity in a high shear rate region was performed by using a capillary rheometer. The strength and stiffness of the PA6/PP-based nanocomposites were improved significantly with the incorporation of EPRgMA. Adding EPRgMA to the PA6/PP blends resulted in a finer dispersion of the PP phase. TEM and XRD results revealed that the organoclay was dispersed more homogeneously in the presence of EPRgMA, however, mostly in the PA6 phase of the blends. DMTA results showed that EPRgMA worked as an effective compatibilizer. The storage (G′) and loss moduli (G″) assessed by plate/plate rheometry of PA6/PP blends increased with the incorporation of EPRgMA and organoclay. Furthermore, the apparent shear viscosity of the PA6/PP blend increased significantly for the EPRgMA compatibilized PA6/PP/organoclay nanocomposite. This was traced to the formation of an interphase between PA6 and PP (via PA6-g-EPR) and effective intercalation/exfoliation of the organoclay.     

Ball milling: An effective technique for the preparation of exfoliated clay filled unsaturated polyester toughened epoxy nanocomposite

This paper investigates the possibility of improving the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy and unsaturated polyester toughened epoxy resins through the dispersion of octadecyl ammonium ion-exchanged montmorillonite (organoclay) through exfoliated mechanism. The nanocomposites prepared are characterized for their structural change and studied for their crystallite size, mechanical, thermal and water absorption (hydrophilicity) properties. The mechanical data indicates significant improvement in the flexural and tensile properties over the neat epoxy and UP-epoxy matrix according to the percentage content of organoclay. The thermal behavior too shows noticeable enhancement in glass transition temperature T _g and high thermal stability. Hydrophilicity of all the composites decreases irrespective of the concentration of organoclay on the epoxy and UP-epoxy matrices. The homogeneous morphology of epoxy and UP toughened epoxy nanocomposite hybrid systems is ascertained using scanning electron microscope (SEM). X-ray results point out that the cetyl ammonium modified clay filled composites exhibited the exfoliated structure.     

Preparation,morphology and electrical conductivity of polyaniline/polyoxyalkylene–montmorillonite exfoliated nanocomposites

Polyaniline (PANI)/organoclay exfoliated nanocomposites containing different organoclay contents (14–50 wt%) were prepared. PANI emeraldine base (EB) and oligomeric PANI (o‐PANI) were intercalated into montmorillonite (MMT) modified by four types of polyoxyalkylene diamine or triamine (organoclay) using N‐methyl pyrolidinone (NMP) as a solvent in the presence of 0.1 M HCl. o‐PANI and EB have been synthesized by oxidative polymerization of aniline using ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS). Infrared absorption spectra (IR) confirm the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged surface of MMT and positively charged sites in PANI. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies disclosed that the d₀₀₁ spacing between interlamellar surface disappeared at low content of the organoclay. The morphology of these materials was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrical conductivities of the PANI‐organoclay and o‐PANI‐organoclay nanocomposites were 1.5 × 10^?3–2 × 10^?4 and 9.5 × 10^?7–1.8 × 10^?9 S/cm, respectively depending on the ratio of PANI. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal stability, crystallization, structure and morphology of syndiotactic 1,2-polybutadiene/organoclay nanocomposite

Syndiotactic 1,2-polybutadiene/organoclay nanocomposites were prepared and characterized by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The XRD shows that exfoliated nanocomposites are formed dominantly at lower clay concentrations (less than 2%), at higher clay contents intercalated nanocomposites dominate. At the same time, the XRD indicates that the crystal structures of sPB formed in the sPB/organoclay nanocomposites do not vary, only the relative intensity of the peaks corresponding to (0 1 0) and (2 0 0)/(1 1 0) crystal planes, respectively, varies. The DSC and POM indicate that organoclay layers can improve cooling crystallization temperature, crystallization rate and reducing the spherulite sizes of sPB. TGA shows that under argon flow the nanocomposites exhibit slight decrease of thermal stability, while under oxygen flow the resistance of oxidation and thermal stability of sPB/organoclay nanocomposites were significantly improved relative to pristine sPB. The primary and secondary crystallization for pristine sPB and sPB/organoclay (2%) nanocomposites were analyzed and compared based on different approaches. The nanocomposites exhibit smaller Avrami exponent and larger crystallization rate constant, with respect to pristine sPB. Primary crystallization under isothermal conditions displays both athermal nucleation and three-dimensional spherulite growth and under nonisothermal processes the mechanism of primary crystallization becomes very complex. Secondary crystallization shows a lower-dimensional crystal growth geometry for both isothermal and nonisothermal conditions. The activation energy of crystallization of sPB and sPB/organoclay nanocomposites under isothermal and nonisothermal conditions were also calculated based on different approaches.     

Novel soluble fluorinated aromatic polyamides derived from 2-(4-trifluoromethylphenoxy)terephthaloyl chloride with various aromatic diamines

A series of novel fluorinated aromatic polyamides derived from a new monomer, 2-(4-trifluoromethylphenoxy)terephthaloyl chloride (TFTPC), with various aromatic diamines were synthesized and characterized. The polyamides were obtained in high yields and moderately high inherent viscosities ranging from 1.07 to 1.16 dL/g. All the polyamides were amorphous and readily soluble in many organic solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), N,N′-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N,N′-dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and could afford flexible and tough films via solution casting. The cast films exhibited good mechanical properties with tensile strengths of 82.8-107.3 MPa, elongation at break of 4.1-7.2%, and tensile modulus of 2.26-3.95 GPa. These polyamide films also exhibited good thermal stability with the glass transition temperature of 222-294 °C, the temperature at 5% weight loss of 442-472 °C in nitrogen. They exhibited low dielectric constants ranging from 3.25 to 3.39 (1 MHz), low moisture absorption in the range of 1.32-2.45%, high transparency with an ultraviolet-visible absorption cut-off wavelength in the 330-371 nm range, and excellent electrical properties.     

Fluorine containing poly(amide-imide)s: synthesis and formation of Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers

Soluble fluorine containing poly(amide-imide)s, PAI(1-4), were synthesized from diimide-dicarboxylic acid, 2,2-bis[N-(4-carboxyphenyl)-phthalimide-1,4-yl]hexafluoropropane with various diamines by direct polycondensation in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) containing CaCl₂ and using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents. The polymers were readily soluble in aprotic polar solvents such as NMP, N,N-dimethylacetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide and tetrahydrofuran. Their Langmuir monolayers were studied at the air/water interface. The monolayers were generally stable at the water surface and could be reproducibly transferred onto solid substrates to build up Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) multilayers. The LB mono- and multilayers were characterized by ultra-violet/visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), surface plasmon resonance, atomic force microscopy.     

Synthesis of polyimides from N,N′-bis(phenylsulfonyl)pyromellitimide and aromatic diamines

A novel and successful synthesis of polyimide has been performed by the two-step polymerization of N,N′-bis(phenylsulfonyl)pyromellitimide (BPSP) and bis(4-aminophenyl) ether (ODA). The ring-opening polyaddition reaction proceeded in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at room temperature through the formation of the open-chain polyamide, which was subsequently converted by heating to the polyimide along with the elimination of benzenesulfonamide. The polymerization of BPSP with ODA took place fairly rapidly to give the polyamide having inherent viscosity in the range of 0.6–0.8. The polyamide solution was resistant to hydrolysis, but was somewhat susceptible to imidization reaction. The thermal imidization of the open-chain polyamide occurred far more readily than that of the polyamic acid derived from pyromellitic dianhydride and ODA.     

MoS2/g-C3N4复合材料的制备及可见光催化性能

首先在N-甲基吡咯烷酮溶液中超声剥离得到少层的MoS₂,将其与石墨相氮化碳（g-C₃N₄）复合,制得MoS₂/g-C₃N₄复合材料。采用X射线衍射（XRD）,扫描电镜（SEM）,X射线光电子能谱（XPS）,傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）,Raman光谱,紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱（DRS）和光致荧光（PL）技术对复合材料进行表征。可见光下考察MoS₂/g-C₃N₄复合材料光催化降解罗丹明B（RhB）的活性,结果表明：将少量MoS₂与g-C₃N₄复合可明显提高光催化活性,且1%（w/w）MoS₂/g-C₃N₄复合物的光催化活性最高,可能的原因是MoS₂和g-C₃N₄匹配的能带结构,增大了界面间电荷的传输,降低了光生电子-空穴的复合,进而提高了光催化活性。     

MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合材料的制备及可见光催化性能

首先在N-甲基吡咯烷酮溶液中超声剥离得到少层的MoS_2,将其与石墨相氮化碳(g-C_3N_4)复合,制得MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合材料。采用X射线衍射(XRD),扫描电镜(SEM),X射线光电子能谱(XPS),傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR),Raman光谱,紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱(DRS)和光致荧光(PL)技术对复合材料进行表征。可见光下考察MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合材料光催化降解罗丹明B(Rh B)的活性,结果表明:将少量MoS_2与g-C_3N_4复合可明显提高光催化活性,且1%(w/w)MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合物的光催化活性最高,可能的原因是MoS_2和g-C_3N_4匹配的能带结构,增大了界面间电荷的传输,降低了光生电子-空穴的复合,进而提高了光催化活性。     

Synthesis of polyamides from active 2-benzothiazolyl dithiolesters and diamines under mild conditions

Novel examples were presented of the use in polyamide synthesis of active 2-benzothiazolyl dithiolesters for which aminolysis is assisted by a neighboring group. Solution polycondensation of new dithiolesters, 2,2′-(adipoyldithio)bisbenzothiazole and 2,2′-(isophtahloyldithio)bisbenzothiazole, with both aliphatic and aromatic diamines in polar aprotic solvents (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and hexamethylphosphoramide) took place rapidly at room temperature yielding polyamides with high molecular weight. The interfacial polycondensation in a chloroform–water system was also successful for polyamide formation. S,S′-Di-p-nitrophenyl dithioisophthalate reacted much more slowly toward diamines than the 2-benzothiazolyl dithiolesters. Prior to polymer synthesis, the aminolysis of active monothiolesters was carried out as a model compound study.     

Morphology and thermal properties of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane/polybutadiene nanocomposites prepared by anionic polymerization

The morphology and thermal properties of Allylisobutyl Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS)/Polybutadiene (PB) nanocomposites prepared through anionic polymerization technique were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results of XRD, SEM and TEM showed that the aggregation of POSS in PB matrix occurred obviously, forming crystalline domains and the size of POSS particles increased with increasing POSS content. The DSC and TGA results indicated that the glass transition temperature (T _g) of the nanocomposites was significantly increased and the maximum degradation temperature (T _dmax) of nanocomposites was slightly increased compared with pure PB, implying an increase in thermal stability.     

Synthesis and properties of new pyridine-bridged poly(ether-imide)s based on 4-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,6-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]pyridine

A novel pyridine-containing aromatic diamine monomer, 4-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,6-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]pyridine (FAPP), was synthesized via the modified Chichibabin pyridine synthesis of 4-(4-nitrophenoxy)-acetophenone with 4-trifluoromethyl-benzaldehyde, followed by a catalytic reduction. A series of fluorinated pyridine-bridged aromatic poly(ether-imide)s were prepared from the resulting diamine monomer with various aromatic dianhydrides via a conventional two-step process. The resulting polyimides exhibited good solubility in aprotic amide solvents and m-cresol, such as N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and m-cresol, etc., which possessed the inherent viscosities of 0.76-0.91 dL/g. Strong and flexible poly(ether-imide) films were obtained, which showed excellent thermal properties with the glass transition temperatures of 268-353 °C, the temperature at 5% weight loss of 547-595 °C, and the residue at 700 °C of 65-74% in nitrogen, good mechanical properties with the tensile strengths of 87.6-104.2 MPa and elongations at breakage of 8.9-12.6%, and good optical transparency with the cut-off wavelengths of 357-380 nm, as well as low dielectric constants in the range of 2.49-3.04 at 1 MHz and low water uptake 0.43-0.69%. Furthermore, the resulted polyimides derived from FAPP were compared with non-fluorinated analogous polyimides and fluorinated analogous polyimides with trifluoromethyl groups in different positions, and the effects of substituents were also investigated and discussed.