Highly filled polystyrene-laponite nanocomposites prepared by emulsion polymerization

Riccardo Ruggerone (1) , Christopher C. J. G. Plummer (1) , Norma Negrete Herrera (2) , Elodie Bourgeat-Lami (2) , Jan-Anders J.-A. E. Manson (1)

1 LTC - Laboratoire de Technologie des Composites et Polymères
2 LCPP

Polystyrene-based nanocomposite films containing up to 20 wt% laponite clay have been prepared by emulsion polymerization. Significant increases in the storage and tensile moduli were observed in both the glassy and rubbery state on laponite addition. However, whereas in the glassy state these increases were correlated with the extent of exfoliation of the laponite, in the rubbery state they were more dependent on the overall laponite content. These results are discussed in terms of the observed morphologies and micromechanical models for the reinforcing effect of rigid nano-sized filler particles.

Mots clés: Emulsion polymerization; Mechanical properties; Nanocomposites; Polystyrene; Laponite

Domaines: Polymères

Riccardo Ruggerone, Christopher C. J. G. Plummer, Norma Negrete Herrera, Elodie Bourgeat-Lami, Jan-Anders J.-A. E. Manson. Highly filled polystyrene-laponite nanocomposites prepared by emulsion polymerization. European Polymer Journal, 2009, 45 (3), pp.621-629. ⟨10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2008.12.032⟩. ⟨hal-00724904⟩