Thermal degradation and (nano)mechanical behavior of layered silicate reinforced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) nanocomposites

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)-based nanocomposites, containing different amounts of organophilic montmorillonite. were prepared using the solution intercalation method. The microstructures of the so-obtained nanocomposites were investigated by wide angle X-ray scattering and their thermal and mechanical properties were studied by means of thermogravimetric analysis, tensile tests, and nanoindentation. The thermal stability and tensile properties were greatly enhanced with only very few percent organoclay. The effect of various loading levels of nanoclay reinforcement on the nanomechanical material properties was also investigated by the nanoindentation technique. The nanoindentation measurements confirm a significant increase of mechanical properties previously observed by tensile tests. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.