Nano-composite Fibers Based on Poly(p-benzamide)-Montmorillonite

Nano-composites fibers made of poly(p-benzamide) (PBA), a rigid liquid crystalline polymer, and an inorganic nano-filler, montmorrilonite (MMT), were prepared by a wet spin process. Dimethylacetamide-3% (w/w) LiCl was used as a solvent. Polymer concentration, Cp = 6.5% (w/w), was maintained as high as possible, but lower than the critical concentration for the appearance of a liquid crystalline phase, Cp′ = 6.7%. MMT dispersed in PBA solution was 2.6–5.0% (w/w) with respect to PBA. The Polymer-MMT solutions show a liquid crystalline phase at polymeric concentration above 6.7% and they show by a high metastability and a slow phase separation. The PBA-MMT solutions show good spinnability and fibers are characterized by a significant increasing in modulus and breaking strength. WAXD and TEM analyses suggest that partially intercalated PBA/MMT nano-composite fibers have been obtained.