New nanohybrids of poly(ε-caprolactone) and a modified Mg/Al hydrotalcite:: Mechanical and thermal properties

Novel composites based on poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and an organically modified layer double hydroxide (LDH) obtained using the melt-extrusion technique have been characterized through structural, thermal, and mechanical analyses. Although exfoliation has not been achieved and despite the very low content of filler (from 1 to 3% by weight), significant enhancements are obtained in the physical and mechanical properties of the composites with respect to neat PCL. As a consequence, LDHs can substitute other nanofillers, in particular, cationic clays for polymeric matrices. They can be modified by a large number of organic anions, generally more numerous than the cationic ones, and can be mixed in very simple ways with polymers. This makes such nanofillers suitable to obtain new hybrid materials for a series of applications, from active food packaging to intelligent materials for biomedical device, for example, controlled drug release. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.