STUDY ON MICROSTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT OF PS/ORGANOCLAY PREPARED BY IN SITU SOLUTION POLYMERIZATION PROCESS

The main objective of the present work was to synthesis polystyrene-clay nanocomposites through solution polymerization of styrene monomer in the presence of organomodifiedmontmorillonite (OMMT) clay. Polymerization was carried out in a 500cc laboratory batch reactor (3-neck). The results of the thermal analysis, including Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), showed a greater thermal stability for thenanocomposites samples compare to neat polystyrene. The FTIR characteristic picks of the nanocomposites samples were found to be similar to those observed for polystyrene. XRD patternsshowed relatively high extent of intercalation which remained almost unchanged after completing ofthe reaction (after 6 hours). The results of linear viscoelastic measurements performed on the samples showed a higher viscosity and storage modulus (G') particularly at low shear rate range compared to neat polystyrene by the same polymerization condition. The melt linear viscoelastic results also showedthat increasing the reaction time after 6 hours does not have effect on the dispersion of nanoclay inpolystyrene matrix. In addition, after that due to some side reactions such as transfer reaction to solvent, occurring in the reactor, and the molecular weight of samples decrease with increasing the reaction period after 6 hours

کلیدواژه ها:

Polymerization ، Polystyrene ، Microstructure ، In Situ