Preparation and Physical Characterization of Polyepichlorohydrin Elastomer/Clay Nanocomposites

Abstract

Polyepichlorohydrin (PECH)/organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites were prepared by using dichloromethane (DCM) as a cosolvent for both polymer and clay at room temperature, through the solvent-casting method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to confirm the formation of nanoscale polymer/OMMT nanocomposites and the localization of the polymers between organosilicate layers. The polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites have higher tensile modulus than the polymer matrix. However, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) thermograms of the PECH/OMMT nanocomposites showed glass-transition temperatures similar to the pure PECH. The rheological properties of the PECH/OMMT nanocomposites, measured via a rotational rheometer in a steady shear mode, showed that the steady shear viscosity increased with increasing clay loading.