Preparation And Characterization Of Tributyl(Methyl) Phosphonium-, And Tetraoctyl Phosphoniummontmorillonite/ Poly(Methyl Metacrylate) (Pmma) Composites Via Melt Intercalation Technique

Abstract

Naturally, Na + Montmorillonite (MMT) has hydrophilic properties due to the presence of inorganic cations on their surface. Thus, the surface modification becomes indispensable to enhance its interfacial interaction with the organic phase. Current commercial organo modified MMT products have stable temperature limitation of about 200 o C. In order to improve its thermal stability, this study proposed surface modification of MMT by using alkylphosphonium as surfactant due to the participation of its low energy d-orbitals in the processes of making and breaking bonds, which inhibits decomposition from easily occurring. Two types of alkylphosphonium surfactants; tributyl(methyl) phosphonium (TBMP) and tetraoctyl phosphonium (TOP) were used in this study as surface modifier of MMT via ion exchange reaction. The OMMT’s formed characterized by TGA, XRD, FTIR, elemental analysis (CHNS) and ASAP analysis. The successful insertion of TBMP and TOP ions into the interlayer of MMT increased the interlayer distance and altered the nature of Na + -MMT from hydrophilic to organophilic MMT (OMMT) as well as exhibited substantially higher thermal stability in organic region in TGA thermogram compared to the commercial alkylammonium MMT. OMMT’s were then underwent melt intercalation technique as nanofiller in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).