Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(ɛ‐caprolactone)/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

Poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by in situ ring‐opening polymerization of ɛ‐caprolactone in the presence of MMT modified by hydroxyl‐group containing alkylammonium cation (Cloisite®30B) in a single mode microwave oven. For the polymerization mixtures, plateaus or exothermal peaks were observed in their temperature‐time profiles and can be attributed to the heat‐generating nature of the ring‐opening polymerization. The morphologies of the nanocomposites showed a predominantly exfoliated structure. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were evaluated via dynamic mechanical analysis. Compared with that of the recovered PCL matrix, the mechanical properties of the PCL/Cloisite®30B nanocomposites showed obvious improvement.