Enhancement of Nanoclay Dispersion and Exfoliation in Epoxy Using Aminic Hardener Treated Clay

Exfoliation and dispersion of nanoclays in epoxy matrices plays an important role in achieving better physical and mechanical properties of resultant nanocomposites. In this article, modification of clay with an aminic hardener for the increment of dispersion and exfoliation into the epoxy matrix has been investigated. In the solvent media, a slurry of hydrophilic Na-Montmorrilonite was mixed and treated with isophoronediamine (IPDA). The nanocomposites containing epoxy and IPDA-modified clay were produced through a recently developed “slurry compounding” method. Dispersion and exfoliation of the modified clay and the microstructure of the resultant nanocomposite were studied by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The samples were then compared with the high shear mixed and sonicated nanocomposites containing commonly used quaternary ammonium modified clays. The comparison showed that dispersion and exfoliation of hardener-modified organoclays in epoxy have been improved due to the treatment of clay and the compounding method.