Assessing organo-clay dispersion in polymer layered silicate nanocomposites: A SAXS approach

• Published in: Polymer (Guilford) Vol. 46; no. 23; pp. 9533 - 9537
• Main Authors: Causin, Valerio, Marega, Carla, Marigo, Antonio, Ferrara, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 14-11-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Nanocomposites; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS); Technology of polymers; Transmission electron microscopy (TEM); Nanocomposites; Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS); Transmission electron microscopy (TEM); Organic clay; Montmorillonite; Dispersion degree; Propylene polymer; Small angle X ray scattering; Experimental study; Transmission electron microscopy; Morphology; Nanocomposite; Measurement method; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0032-3861; 1873-2291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2005.08.034

A SAXS method for the quantitative assessment of the morphology of polymer layered silicate nanocomposites is proposed. Fitting the SAXS patterns, the number of clay layers, the periodicity of the layers in the tactoids, the thickness of the regions interposed between the clay platelets and their distributions can be measured. A good agreement with TEM data was obtained, avoiding the inconsistencies with microscopical observations often reported in the literature.