Preparation and characterization of PVAc–NMA–MMT

To further improve and enhance the performances and properties of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), montmorillonite (MMT) and N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide (NMA) were introduced together to polymerize with vinyl acetate (VAc). The exfoliated nanocomposite of PVAc–NMA–MMT was prepared through different synthesis precursors. Linear macromolecular chains of PVAc–NMA were formed in MMT layers. MMT was exfoliated into layers or sheets of nanoparticles and dispersed randomly in PVAc–NMA matrix. Both PVAc–NMA and MMT had small particles with a diameter of 50–100 nm. They dispersed together randomly. PVAc–NMA–MMT was a pseudo-plastic non-Newtonian fluid and possessed the normal stress effect (or Weissenberg effect from the pole-climbing phenomenon. With the change of different synthesis precursors and the increase of NMA content and MMT content in the synthesis system, the molecular weight of PVAc–NMA–MMT increased. PVAc–NMA–MMT had good dispersion, excellent storage stability and high static tensile at 6.47–6.85 MPa.