Bismuth complex catalysts for the in situ preparation of polycaprolactone/silicate bionanocomposites

摘要

Solvent-free, bismuth-catalysed in situ polymerization of caprolactone in the presence of layered silicates enables the formulation of a series of polycaprolactone/silicate bionanocomposites. Three organophilic montmorillonites obtained by cationic exchange reaction with tetrabutylammonium iodide, benzyltriethylammonium chloride and vinylbenzyltriphenylphosphonium chloride salts, respectively, were used as reinforcing reagents for these materials. The effects of clay and bismuth catalyst type (bismuth(III) acetate and triphenylbismuth) are discussed on the basis of composite morphologies and molecular weights of resulting polymers. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.