Thermal properties of polypropylene nanocomposites with organoclay and discarded bond paper

Abstract

This work concerns the study of the effect of discarded bond paper on the thermal behavior of the polypropylene/organophilic clay nanocomposite. A brown polycationic bentonite from state of Paraíba, Brazil, was treated industrially with sodium carbonate to transform it into a bentonite which swells in water and then treated with ammonium chloride hexadecyltrimethylammonium to turn it into a swellable organoclay in organic liquids. Polypropylene with 3% polypropylene graft compatibilizer (PP-g-AM) was mixed with 1% and 2% by weight of discarded bond paper and with 1%, 2% e 5% by weight of organophilic clay using a twin-screw extruder. The specimens were prepared by the injection process. The nanocomposite specimens were characterized by XRD, SEM, and thermal analysis (ATG and DSC). The nanocomposites showed improved thermal properties compared with the polymer without filler.