Effect of Organic Modification of Muscovite on the Polypropylene Layered Silicate Nanocomposite

Abstract

Polypropylene- layered silicate nanocomposite based on muscovite was prepared via melt compounding. Muscovite was organomodified with cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB) by using different filler loading. The effects of muscovite content on mechanical and morphology properties were evaluated. Analysis of test data showed that the mechanical properties increased with an increase in filler loading up to a threshold of 3 wt%; thereafter the material properties were degraded. The enhancement of properties attributed to the formation of intercalated and exfoliation nanocomposite structure at these loadings of clay. At higher filler loading, degradation in mechanical properties maybe attributed to the formation of agglomerated clay tactoids.