Effect of comonomers on the melt intercalation of styrenics/organosilicate hybrids

Abstract

The effect of comonomers on the intercalation behavior of the styrenics/organosilicate hybrids was investigated because they can change the degree of intermolecular interaction and the stress-transfer during mixing. Two different polar comonomers, acrylonitrile (AN) and methylvinyloxazoline (OZ), were incorporated into non-polar polystyrene (PS) chains. The degree of intercalation was estimated using an X-ray diffraction technique and the interaction between polymer and montmorillonite was investigated using a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.