Nanocomposites of polystyrene- b-polyisoprene copolymer with layered silicates and carbon nanotubes

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 42; no. 9; pp. 2098 - 2107
• Main Authors: Litina, Kiriaki, Miriouni, Androniki, Gournis, Dimitrios, Karakassides, Michael A., Georgiou, Nikolaos, Klontzas, Emmanouel, Ntoukas, Eleftherios, Avgeropoulos, Apostolos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Carbon nanotubes; Clay-polymer nanocomposites; Composites; Diblock copolymer; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Montmorillonite; Polymer industry, paints, wood; PS- b-PI; Technology of polymers; Carbon nanotubes; Diblock copolymer; Clay-polymer nanocomposites; Montmorillonite; PS- b-PI; Mixing; Organic clay; Dispersion degree; Experimental study; Hybrid composite; PS-b-PI; Morphology; Isoprene copolymer; Nanocomposite; Manufacturing; Growth from solution; Modified material; Styrene copolymer
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2006.03.025

Nanocomposites of polystyrene-
b-polyisoprene (PS-
b-PI) copolymer with layered-smectite clays (organically modified montmorillonite) and nanostructured clay-carbon nanotube hybrids were prepared. The diblock copolymer was synthesized by anionic polymerization using high-vacuum techniques and was molecularly characterized by size exclusion chromatography. Carbon nanotubes were developed on clay-supported nickel nanoparticles by the CCVD method. Nanotubes attached on the clay platelets were then chemically modified to create ester groups on their surfaces. PS-
b-PI nanocomposites at various polymer to reinforcement loadings were prepared by solution intercalation. The final nanocomposites were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The experiments complemented with viscometry measurements reveal the successful incorporation of the reinforcements in the polymer mass.