Influence of Synthesis Processes on the Properties of PVAc-MMT-STAB Exfoliated Nanocomposites

Five different processes were designed based on the polymerization time and water amount to investigate their influence on the properties of exfoliated nanocomposites synthesized by vinyl acetate (VAc) and montmorillonite-octadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (MMT-STAB). The violent stirring, low MMT-STAB content, high polymerization temperature, favorable polymerization time and suitable water amount were very important. PVAc-MMT-STAB had high static tensile and good dispersion. PVAc's linear macromolecular chains were formed in MMT-STAB layers that was exfoliated into layers or sheets of nanoparticles and dispersed randomly. They dispersed together to form the structures of “Strawberry,” “Swallow,” “Tactoids,” “Half Core-Shell” and “Similar Core-Shell”.