| Abstract: | Recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate)/organomodified‐layered double hydroxide (PET /organo‐LDH ) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via a melt‐extrusion method. In an attempt to improve the compatibility with PET , LiAl , MgAl , and ZnAl LDH surfaces were modified with sulfanilic acid (SAS ) via electrostatic interaction with LDH cationic layers. In PET nanocomposites containing SAS ‐modified LDH , the (00l ) X‐ray diffraction (XRD ) peaks originating from organo‐LDH were not observed, indicating that the organomodified LDH layers were fully exfoliated and homogeneously dispersed within the PET matrix, which was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy analysis. However, PET nanocomposites containing SAS ‐modified LiAl , MgAl , and ZnAl LDH showed broad (00l ) XRD peaks, indicating that the organo‐LDH was partially exfoliated. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed that the thermal stability of PET/SAS‐modified LDH was significantly improved, depending on the type and loading content of SAS‐modified LDH compared to that of pristine PET . PET nanocomposites containing well‐dispersed SAS‐modified LDH showed substantial enhancement of the storage modulus. |
