Impact modified polyamide-6/organoclay nanocomposites: Processing and characterization

The effects of melt state compounding of ethylene-butyl acrylate-maleic anhydride (E-BA-MAH) terpolymer and/or three types of organoclays (Cloisitel(R) 15A, 25A, and 3013) on thermal and mechanical properties and morphology of polyamide-6 are investigated. E-BA-MAH formed spherical domains in the materials to which it is added, and increased the impact strength, whereas the organoclays decreased the impact strength. In general, the organoclays increased the tensile strength (except for Cloisite 15A), Young's modulus and elongation at break, but the addition of E-BA-MAH had the opposite effect. XRD patterns showed that the interlayer spacing for the organoclays Cloisite 25A and Cloisite 30B increased in both polyamide-6/organoclay binary nanocomposites and in polyamide-6/organoclay/impact modifier ternary systems. TEM analysis showed that exfoliated-intercalated nanocomposites were formed. The crystallinities of polyamide-6/organoclay nanocomposites were in general lower than that of polyamide-6 (except for Cloisite 15A). In ternary nanocomposites, crystallinities generally were lower than those of polyamide-6/organoclay nanocomposites. Cloisite 15A containing ternary nanocomposites had higher tensile and impact strengths and Young's modulus than the ternary nanocomposites prepared with Cloisite 25A and Cloisite 30B, owing to its surface hydrophobicity and compatibility with the impact modifier.