Evaluation of the Influence of a Smectite Clay in PP Composites

Abstract:

In this work, the effect of the addition of an organophilic smectite clay on the properties of polypropylene (PP) was evaluated. The clay was a commercial natural montmorillonite treated with ammonium quaternary salt (Cloisite 20A^®). The composites were prepared by extrusion, and contain 5 wt.% of clay. The materials were characterized by: tensile and impact strength, oxygen permeability tests, optical microscopy, thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis. The mechanical properties of the PP were decreased due to the clay addition. The composites presented a microstructure predominantly intercaleted, with fine and homogeneous dispersion of the clay layers within the matrix. The composite showed an increase of about 30% in the oxygen barrier property of the PP, which is an interesting result when considering the application of the composite as a packaging material.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 798-799)
• Pages: 737-742
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.798-799.737
• Online since: June 2014
• Authors: Kleber Vaccioli*, Walker S. Drumond, Shirley Possidonio, Ticiane Sanches Valera
• Keywords: Composite, Montmorillonite, Polypropylene (PP)

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