Poly(ethylene terephthalate) nanocomposites by in situ interlayer polymerization: the thermo-mechanical properties and morphology of the hybrid fibers

Nanocomposites of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with C12PPh-MMT as an organoclay were synthesized by using the in situ interlayer polymerization approach. The PET nanocomposites were melt-spun at different organoclay contents and different draw ratios to produce monofilaments. The thermo-mechanical properties and the morphologies of the PET nanocomposites were examined by using a differential scanning calorimeter, a thermogravimetric analyzer, a wide angle X-ray diffactometer, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, and a universal tensile machine. Some of the clay particles were well dispersed in the PET matrix, and some of them were agglomerated at a size level of greater than approximately 10 run. The thermal stability and the tensile mechanical properties of the PET hybrid fibers increased with increasing clay content at a DR = 1. However, the values of the ultimate tensile strength and the initial modulus of the hybrid fibers decreased markedly with increasing DR from 1 to 16. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.