Synthesis, surface morphology and properties of polystyrene modified synthetic clay nanocomposites

Polystyrene/modified synthetic clay nanocomposites were prepared using direct intercalation method with the ultra-sonication, as a mean for blending. The advantage of this method is that polymer directly is added to the modified synthetic clay without the need of exfoliating the modified clay before adding polystyrene. The structure, morphology and thermal stability of the prepared materials were investigated by particle size distribution analysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, field emission transmission electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The synthesized nanocomposites showed disordered dispersion of the clay layers in the polystyrene matrix at nanometer level scale, indicating the formation of exfoliated nanostructures with significant improvement in their thermal stability. The nanocomposites show enhanced thermal stability about 17 °C higher than that of pure polystyrene which is attributed to the well dispersion and exfoliation of modified clay at nanometer level scale in the polystyrene matrix.