title: Microscopic morphology of chlorinated polyethylene-based nanocomposites synthesized from poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/clay masterbatches.
abstract: Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) nanocomposites were synthesized by melt blending clay-rich/poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) masterbatches to CPE matrices. The masterbatches were prepared following two synthetic routes: either PCL is melt-blended to the clay or it is grafted to the clay platelets by in situ polymerization. The microscopic morphology of the nanocomposites was characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry. When using free PCL, intercalated composites are formed, with clay aggregates that can have micrometric dimensions and a morphology similar to that of the talc particles used as fillers in commercial CPE. PCL crystallizes as long lamellae dispersed in the polymer matrix. When using grafted PCL, the nanocomposite is intercalated/exfoliated, and the clay stacks are small and homogeneously dispersed. PCL crystallizes as lamellae and smaller crystals, which are localized along the clay layers. Thanks to the grafting of PCL to the clay platelets, these crystalline domains are thought to form a network with the clay sheets, which is responsible for the large improvement of the mechanical properties of these materials.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Innovation et de Recherche en Matériaux Polymères, Université de Mons-Hainaut, Place du Parc, 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brocorens
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benali
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Broekaert
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monteverde
authors.forename: Hans E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Miltner
authors.forename: Bruno Van
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Michaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lazzaroni