title: Reinforcement of polyether polyurethane with dopamine-modified clay: the role of interfacial hydrogen bonding.
abstract: Dopamine-modified clay (D-clay) was successfully dispersed into polyether polyurethane (PU) by solvent blending. It is found that the incorporation of D-clay into PU gives rise to significant improvements in mechanical properties, including initial modulus, tensile strength, and ultimate elongation, at a very low clay loading. The large reinforcement could be attributed to the hydrogen bonds between the hard segments of PU and stiff D-clay layers that lead to more effective interfacial stress transfer between the polymer and D-clay. Besides, the interactions between D-clay and PU are also stronger than those between Cloisite 30B organoclay and the PU chains. Consequently, at a similar clay loading, the PU/D-clay nanocomposite has much higher storage modulus than the PU/organoclay nanocomposite at elevated temperatures.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798.
authors.forename: Si Lei
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Phua
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Cher Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zviad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tsakadze
authors.forename: Soo Khim
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Yiu-Wing
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Xuehong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu