One-pot synthesized polyurethane-based nanocomposites filled by original rectorite with enhanced strength and elongation

Abstract

The unmodified rectorite (REC), a kind of layered silicate, was incorporated into polyurethane (PU) as matrix by the process of one-pot synthesizing polyurethane in situ, and hence produced a series of nanocomposite materials with enhanced strength and elongation. It is worth noting that the nanocomposite containing 2 wt% REC had the maximum elongation (1 449%) and strength (32.66 MPa) as ca. 2.7- and 1.4-fold over those of neat PU film, respectively. Meanwhile, the unexfoliated agglomerates and exfoliated nanoplatelets of REC co-existed in PU matrix. By virtue of strong interfacial interaction on the surface of REC lamella, the stress facilely transferred to the rigid RECs and hence contributed to the enhancement of strength in spite that the original structure and interaction in the PU matrix were partly cleaved. Moreover, the intertwisting of polymer chains in PU matrix with REC as well as the gliding among the REC lamellae might produce greater strain. Nevertheless, excess unexfoliated REC agglomerates under high loading level inhibited the enhancement of mechanical performances, which verified the key role of exfoliated REC nanoplatelet in improving mechanical performances. As a result, this work submitted a simple method to develop a polyurethane-based nanocomposite with high mechanical performances without any modification of layered silicates and the complicated treatment for exfoliation and dispersion.

Keywords

polyurethane / rectorite / nanocomposite / mechanical properties

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