Study On Methyl Methacrylate-N-Cyclohexylmaleimide Copolymer/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

Nanostructured polymer-clay composites has been a subject of raising interest for its superior properties as a branch of nanomaterials. Nanostructured polymer-clay composites refers to the complex system assembled by polymer and inorganic nanoparticles or pre-nanomaterials. And the interactions of the multi-phases in the materials are one of the key points to the properties. In this article, to enhance the interactions of the multi-phases, the two-step method was carried out to modify the surface of montmorillonite. To improve the heat-resistance property of poly(methyl methacrylate), nanostructured methyl methacrylate-N-cyclohexylmaleimide copolymer/montmorillonite composites were prepared by intercalation-composite method.N-cyclohexylmaleimide was prepared by heat dehydration and characterized by MS DSC FT - IR 1H - NMR , HPLC , EA etc. The results showed that the yield of N-cyclohexylmaleimide and its purification was 70% and ≥99.5% respectively which meant that the production was fit for the copolymerization.2,2'-Azobis (2-methyl-propinamidine) dihydrochloride (AIBA) and methyl acrylyllethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DMC) were used as intercalate agents to modify the surface of montmorillonite (MMT). The results of FT-IR showed that the ion-exchangeable reaction between the intercalate agents and Na-MMT was carried out. The value of d001 was increased by 1.1 nm after modification indicated by XRD.The influencee factors of the apparent kinetics of the decomposition rates of AIBA and the influence of montmorillonite on the rate of emulsion polymerization were studied. Nanostructured methyl methacrylate-N-cyclohexylmaleimide copolymer/ montmorillonitecomposites were prepared by bulk and emulsion methods and the characterization of DSC TGA TEM XRD optic properties and mechanics properties were carried out. The weight loss temperature at 5wt% of bulk P(MMA-CHMI)/OMMT2 was improved by about 100℃ contrast with that of PMMA and mechanics properties were improved partly under the condition that the transparency was not decreased greatly indicated by and organic MMT (OMMT) dispersed in the polymeric matrix evenly as nanostructure.The blends of emulsion nanostructrured composites and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were prepared. The heat-resistance properties of PVC were increased after blend shown by the relative test.