STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE REINFORCEMENT OF POLYMER/ORGANOCLAY NANOCOMPOSITES WITH VITREOUS AND ELASTOMERIC MATRICES

摘要

It is shown that an increase in the degree of reinforcement of epoxy polymer/organoclay nanocomposites with an elastomeric matrix in comparison with the same nanocomposites with a vitreous matrix is due to a change in the nanofiller structure, namely, its transition from intercalated to exfoliated. In turn, this transition is determined by a change in the structure of the macromolecular coil (microgel) of the epoxy polymer upon variation in the phase state of the matrix. These effects are accompanied by an increase in the relative proportion of interfacial regions and a decrease in the organoclay aggregation degree.