Ceramics-Silikáty 53 (4) 254-259 (2009)

Investigation of the Modification Process and Morphology of Organosilane Modified Nanoclay

M. Khoeini, S. Bazgir, M. Tamizifar, A. Nemati, K. Arzani

This work deals with the preparation of epoxy-clay nanocomposites. The results show that the mechanical properties of nanocomposites depend on their compatibility, the epoxy resin used and the purity of the nanoclay. The used bentonite was purified and the effects of the organoclay synthesis and various additives on its characteristics were evaluated. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to analyze the microstructure and the phase composition of the nanoclay. The XRD results revealed that when the modifier addition was increased from 10 wt.% to 40 wt.%, the interlayer spacing of the nanoclay increased from 12.43 Å being incompatible with the resin to 20.43 Å making possible to prepare required nanocomposite.

Keywords: Nanoclay, Compatibility, Nanocomposite, Intercalation, Exfoliation