Polycaprolactone, clay and vanadium oxide nanocomposites: development and performance evaluation.

In the present work, the development of nanocomposites was carried out by processing the nanofillers viscogel clay B8 and vanadium oxide with the polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix, through a twin-screw extruder. The evaluation of the nanomaterial obtained by X-ray diffraction technique showed that the addition of nanoparticles caused change in the crystallization process and in the crystallinity index, due to the action of them as a nucleating agent. Evaluation of thermogravimetric analysis, it was observed an increase in the thermal stability of nanocomposites containing clay. Analyzing the SEM micrographs, it was observed that there was a good dispersion and distribution of nanofillers in the matrix. The differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction technique, showed the possibility of nanoparticles are acting as a nucleating agent, in some mixtures there was change in the values of crystallinity index. Through nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, it was evaluated a good homogeneity of the nanofiller in the matrix due to the intermolecular interaction promoting a better dispersion and distribution of the nanoparticle in the polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]