Synthesis and characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate)/OMMT nanocomposites by γ-ray irradiation polymerization

Organophilic montmorillonite (OMMT) was synthesized by cationic exchange between Na-MMT and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in an aqueous solution. Poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA)/(OMMT) nanocomposites was prepared by gamma-ray irradiation polymerization. The dispersion degree and the intercalation spacing of these nanocomposites were investigated with the X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The thermal stabilities of the samples were studied by the thermal gravimetric analysis. The nanocomposites had higher storage modulus and higher glass transition temperature (T-g) than the pure PMMA, which were measured by dynamic mechanical analysis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.