• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2006

Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/montmorillonite (MMT) clay nanocomposite microspheres with a core/shell structure have been developed via a suspension polymerization approach. In order to prepare the PVAc/ MMT and PVAc/PVA/MMT nanocomposite microspheres, which are promising precursor of PVA/MMT nanocomposite microspheres, suspension polymerization of vinyl acetate with organophilic MMT and heterogeneous saponification were conducted. A quaternary ammonium salt, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, was mixed with the MMT in the monomer phase prior to the suspension polymerization. The rate of conversion decreased with an increase in MMT concentration. The incorporation of MMT into the PVAc was verified by FT-IR spectroscopy. Organic vinyl acetate monomers were intercalated into the interlayer regions of organophilic clay hosts and followed by suspension polymerization. Partially saponified PVA/MMT nanocomposite microspheres with a core/shell structure were successfully prepared by heterogeneous saponification.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.18-18
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• 2003

Natural clays are composed of oxide layers whose thickness is about 1nm and cations existing between the layers. A number of these layers makes primary particles with a height of about 8∼10nm and these primary particles make aggregates with a size of about 0.1∼10$\mu\textrm{m}$. When layered silicate was made to be organophilic, by exchanging the interlayer cations with organic cationic molecules, the matrix polymer can penetrate between the layers to give a nanocomposite, where 1nm-scal clay layers exist separately in a continuous polymer matrix. These nanostructured hybrid organic-inorganic composites have attracted the great interest of researchers over the last 10 years. They exhibit improved performance properties compared with conventional composites, because their unique phase morphology by layer intercalation or exfoliation maximizes interfacial contact between the organic and inorganic phases and enhances interfacial properties. Since the advent of nylon-6/montmorillonite nanocomposite developed by Toyota Motor Co., the studies on layered silicate-polymer nanocomposites have been successfully extended to other polymer systems. They greatly improved the thermal, mechanical, barrier, and even the flame-retardant properties of the polymers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.1 s.73
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• pp.79-85
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• 2006

Olefinic compatibilized blend(R-PP/R-PE)/layered silicate composites have been prepared by melt intercalation technique directed from $Na^{+}$ montmorillonite(MMT) or organophilic montmorillonites while using magnesium hydroxide as flame retardant. Morphology and flammability properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), thermogravimetry analysis(TGA), limiting oxygen index(LOI), UL94 test. It is found that the compatibilized blend/layered silicate(Cloisite 20A) nanocomposites have a mixed immiscible-intercalated structure and there is better intercalation when a compatibilizer is combined with the polymer and layered silicate to be melt blended. A very large increase in the LOI value was observed with hybrid filler addition and further enhancement in thermal stability and compatibility of blend was obtained for the compatibilized blend containing small amount of layered silicate.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.443-448
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• 2007

To improve the sound damping effect of flexible polyurethane foam, with an open-cell structure, various plate-like fillers, such as bentonite, organophilic clay and sodium montmorillonite intercalated with poly(ethylene glycol), were incorporated for the creation of nanocomposites. The plate-like fillers effectively improved the sound damping within the high frequency range. The structures of the nanocomposites and foam were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties and flammability of the foams were also examined.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.228-236
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• 2000

The preparation of organophilic clay from Na$^{+}$-MMT was achieved by intercalation of alkylammonium bromide. The dispersed organophilic clay in NMP was then added to the solution of polyamic acids (BPDA-PPD, BTDA-ODA/ MPD) in NMP. After curing at 30$0^{\circ}C$, thin films of the polyimide/clay nanocomposite were prepared. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) shelved that the d-spacings of dried polyamic acid (PAA)-clay complexes increased in proportion to the chain length of the onium ion and patterns of two kinds of PAA-clay complexes were similar. The d-spacings of approximately 13.2 $\AA$ for the polyimide/clay nanocomposites were independent of the initial onium ion chain length and the species of PAA. From the study of XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we found layered silicates were dispersed in polyimide matrix and the resultants were intercalated nanocomposites. TGA result showed thermal stability of polyimide nanocomposite improved a little more than the pure polyimide. From the result of dynamic mechanical property, we found that the storage modulus of the nanocomposites had increased by 1.2-1.8 times of the pure polyimides.s.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.2 s.48
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• pp.123-128
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• 2006

Beidellite, a member of the dioctahedral smectite group, was synthesized hydrothermally from dickite. Organophilic [DEACOOH]-beidellite intercalation complex was formed by the cation exchange reaction between synthetic Na-beidellite and [DEACOOH]Br. The products dried in high vacuum were treated with various organic solvent such as methanol, ethanol, acetone, ether, acetonitrile and caprolactam in order to determine the swelling behaviour of the prepared complexes. After drying under high vacuum, basal spacing of [DEACOOH]-beidellite shows 15.1 ${\AA}$, and it changed to 19.4, 29.9, 15.9, 16.8, 14.8, 26.5 and 14.8 ${\AA}$ under distilled water, methanol, ethanol, acetone, ether, acetonitrile and caporlactam, respectively. Especially, the characteristics of the intercalation complexes and their swelling behavior of the synthetic beidellite and natural montmorillonite were compared.