Effect of organic modifiers on dispersion of organoclay in polymer nanocomposites to improve mechanical properties

The hydrophilic/hydrophobic organoclays with varying quaternary ammonium substituents (QAS) were successfully synthesized and used as filler in unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin-organoclay nanocomposites to enhance mechanical properties. The organoclay-BQASMMT18 (octadecyldimethylbenzylammonium bromide modified montmorillonite) with only 3 wt% in the UPE enhanced tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength and elongation at break by the...