Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/clay nanocomposites with trisilanolphenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane as dispersant: simultaneously enhanced reinforcing and stabilizing effects.

This paper presents a new approach for the preparation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) ( PET)/clay nanocomposites using surfactant-free clay (sodium montmorillonite, Na- MMT) with trisilanolphenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (Tsp- POSS) as dispersant. The dispersion of clay in the PET/Na- MMT/Tsp- POSS nanocomposites is enhanced over that in PET/Na- MMT by using a very small amount of Tsp- POSS, which acts as functional spacer to keep clay platelets apart and pull monomers in, and, at the same time, acts as a PET chain extender. As a result, thermomechanical properties and thermo-oxidative stability of PET/Na- MMT/Tsp- POSS are improved simultaneously compared with those of PET/organoclay nanocomposites. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]