Preparation And Properties Of Attapulgite / Nylon 6 Composites

Attapulgite clay (AT ) was purified by low-molecular sodium polyacrylate (LSPA) and hydrochloric acid. The crystal phase and purity of AT were analyzed by SEM, TEM and XRD. The results indicated that the quartz and dolomite were removed ,and the ourity was improved. The optimal conditions of process are: 3% LSPA of adding clay, water soil ratio of 50:1, reacting time of 5 hours, seimentation time of 24 hours, reacting temperature of 80℃and hydrochloric acid concentration of 5 mol/L.AT was modified with cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI). The research results of FT-IR, TGA and XRD show that quaternary ammonium cations were adsorbed on AT surface,and TDI was reacted with hydroxy of AT surface,which is helpful to the reaction ofε-caprolactam monomer.Then, modified AT was mixted withε-caprolactam for the preparation of AT/Nylon 6 nano-composite were prepared by in-situ polymerization of modified AT andε-caprolactam monomer accoding to quantity ratio. Structure, thermal property, micro-morphology and crystallization property were studied by the method of DSC,TG-DTA, FT-IR, SEM, TEM and Molau experiment. The results indicated that AT have high dispersity in nanometer scale in Nylon 6 matrix, which supplied a performance of better thermal property, higher T_g and degree of crystallinity.