SAXS Study of Reversibly Crosslinked Isotactic Polypropylene/clay Nanocomposites

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Journal of Applied Polymer Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/app.32241· OSTI ID:1019779

Bouhelal, S; Cagiao, M; Benachour, D; Djellouli, B; Rong, L; Hsiao, B; Baltá-Calleja, F

A new route based on reversibly crosslinking reactive extrusion is applied for the development of iPP/clay nanocomposites. Analysis of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reflections of isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/clay nanocomposites, prepared by two different mixing and chemical crosslinking methods (i.e., conventional and in situ), is presented and results are compared with preceding wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) results. It is shown that the presence of clay significantly affects the value of long spacing in iPP, as well as the coherence length of lamellar stacks. Results show that the size of the coherently diffracting nanodomains decreases in two stages, first rapidly and then slowly as a function of increasing clay content. This can be attributed to the influence of confined iPP lamellae under the effect of rising number of clay particles. The appearance of the {gamma}-crystalline form in the crosslinked iPP/clay nanocomposites is related with the difficulty in chain folding of iPP chains introduced by the chemical crosslinking process, as well as by the presence of clay particles.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - OFFICE OF SCIENCE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 1019779
• Report Number(s): BNL--95625-2011-JA
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Polymer Science Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 117; ISSN 0021-8995; ISSN JAPNAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHAINS
CLAYS
COHERENCE LENGTH
EXTRUSION
LAMELLAE
POLYPROPYLENE
SCATTERING
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
national synchrotron light source