Journal
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
Volume 92, Issue 9, Pages 2066-2070Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2009.10.034
Keywords
Montmorillonite; Nanocomposite; Pequi oil; Thermoplastic starch
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A combination of starch and clay for the preparation of nanocomposite materials is proposed. In this work, starch was plasticized by pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) oil, and thermoplastic starch (TPS)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG), thermomechanical analyses (TMA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Exfoliated and intercalated nanocomposites were found to be dependent on MMT content. Exfoliation is the predominant mechanism of clay dispersion for low filler loading. Increase of the clay loading (>5 wt.%) causes intercalation. The introduction of low content (<5 wt.%) of MMT improves the thermal stability and the stiffness of the materials. There is a limit content of clay that can be added to improve the thermal and thermomechanical properties of the composites. Beyond that value the composite presents properties below the original polymer. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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