Ding P, Qu BJ (2006b) Synthesis and characterization of polystyrene/layered double-hydroxide nanocomposites via in situ emulsion and suspension polymerization. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 101(6), 3758-3766. [In English]

Web link:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.23447

Keywords:

nanocomposites, emulsion polymerization, polystyrene, thermal properties, layered double hydroxide, mmt nanocomposites, thermal-properties, solution intercalation, clay nanocomposites, exfoliation, poly(l-lactide), kinetics

Abstract: Polystyrene (PS)/ZnAl layered double-hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites were synthesized via in situ emulsion and suspension polymerization in the presence of N-lauroyl-glutamate surfactant and long-chain spacer and characterized with elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis. The XRD and TEM results demonstrate that the exfoliated ZnAl-LDH layers were well dispersed at molecular level in the PS matrix. The completely exfoliated PS/LDH nanocomposites were obtained even at the 20 and 10 wt % LDH loadings prepared by emulsion polymerization and suspension polymerization, respectively. The PS/LDH nanocomposites with a suitable amount of LDH showed apparently enhanced thermal stability. When the 50% weight loss was selected as a comparison point, the decomposition temperature of the exfoliated PS/LDH sample prepared by emulsion polymerization with a 5 wt % LDH loading was about 28 degrees C higher than that of pure PS. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.