Photo‐ and thermal stabilities of poly(propylene) (PP)/SiO2 nanocomposites were studied by varying the particle size of the SiO2 nanoparticles. It was found that smaller SiO2 nanoparticles improved the stabilities of the nanocomposites by depressing the size of spherulites. The phenomenon was successfully explained within the infectious spreading model, where the spatial spreading of oxidation was delayed at the interfacial region between the spherulites.
Different polymerizable ammonium surfactants were successfully synthesized via Michael‐addition and quaternarization reactions. Organoclays containing reactive methacrylate groups were prepared by the cationic exchange process. Intercalated nanocomposites were produced by UV initiated polymerization with 5 wt.‐% organophilic clay loading. DMTA tests and tensile analysis implied that a long chain polymerizable modifier could crosslink with the polymer matrix, and mechanical and tensile properties were enhanced dramatically about 80%. Water sorption was not elevated, which was determined by the polymer itself and the hydrophobicity of the modifier, although the water permeation was improved.
