Effect of stearic acid/organic montmorillonite on EVA/SA/OMMT nanocomposite foams by melting blending

Abstract

The effects of stearic acid (SA)/organic montmorillonite (OMMT) on the morphology and mechanical properties of nanocomposite foams based on ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer were studied. The dispersion of montmorillonite layers was characterized by both X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The cellular microstructure of the foamed samples was observed by scanning electron microscope. The effects of SA/OMMT on the mechanical properties of the EVA-based foams were also investigated. It was found that the combined effects of the existence of SA/OMMT led to bimodal foam structure in EVA/SA/OMMT nanocomposite foams. Compared with pure EVA foams, the density of EVA/SA/OMMT foams became lower with the addition of SA/OMMT, while the peel strength and elongation-at-break of the samples were increased.