Preparation and characterization of polyethylene‐g‐maleic anhydride–styrene/montmorillonite nanocomposites

It is difficult to prepare polyethylene/montmorillonite by direct melt mixing because of the difference in character between polyethylene and montmorillonite. Therefore, it is necessary to modify polyethylene with polar groups, which can increase the hydrophilicity of polyethylene. At the same time, the inorganic montmorillonite should be modified with long-chain alkyl ammonium to increase the basing space between the interlayers. Thus, through the grafting of the polar monomer onto the main chain of polyethylene by reactive extrusion, polyethylene/montmorillonite nanocomposites can be prepared by the melt mixing of the grafter and organic montmorillonite. Fourier transform infrared has been used to prove that the monomers are grafted onto polyethylene. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy have been employed to characterize the nanocomposites. Furthermore, thermogravimetric analysis measurements show that the thermal stability of the nanocomposites is improved in comparison with that of the virgin materials. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 805–809, 2006