Development of a manufacturing process for an organic-inorganic nanocomposite and its physical property characterization

Abstract

The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of a polyolefin terpolymer (poly(propylene-co-ethylene-co-1- butene) and its expanded foam were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. A kinetic equation for nonisothermal crystallization was employed to analyze the crystallization characteristics of the terpolymer and its foam. The Avramic exponent, n, can be reasonably well determined from the nonisothermal crystallization exotherm. The polarized optical microscopy showed that pristine terpolymer had a well developed spherulite morphology whereas the foamed terpolymer consisted of elongated entities that subsequently developed as more bundle-like entities. The latter morphology is typical one of the γ-phase. The difference in crystallization behavior observed for the pristine and foamed terpolymer samples is attributed to the formation of different morphologies during the foam expansion process. We also studied application of a foaming process to prepare an inorganic-organic nanocomposite. The foaming process enabled better dispersion of clay particles as well as their intercalation and exfoliation in the polypropylene matrix.