Comparative studies of the properties of poly(methyl methacrylate)-clay nanocomposite materials prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization and solution dispersion

A series of polymer-clay nanocomposite (PCN) materials consisting of organic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and inorganic montmorillonite (MMT) clay platelets were prepared successfully by the effective dispersion of nanolayers of the MMT clay in the PMMA framework through both in situ emulsion polymerization and solution dispersion. The as-prepared PCN materials obtained with both approaches were subsequently characterized with wide-angle powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. For a comparison of the anticorrosion performance, a PCN material (e.g., 3 wt % clay loading) prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization, showing better dispersion of the clay platelets in the polymer matrix, exhibited better corrosion protection in the form of a coating on a cold-rolled steel coupon than that prepared by solution dispersion, which showed a poor dispersion of the clay nanolayers according to a series of electrochemical corrosion measurements. Comparative studies of the optical clarity, molecular barrier properties, and thermal stability of samples prepared in both ways, as membranes and fine powders, were also performed with ultraviolet-visible transmission spectroscopy, molecular permeability analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.