Abstract
ζ-Caprolactam was polymerized in the interlayer spacing of montmorillonite, a clay mineral, yielding a nylon 6-clay hybrid (NCH) 1).
X-ray and TEM measurements revealed that each template of the silicate, which is 10 Å thick, was dispersed in the nylon 6 matrix and that the repeat unit increased from 12 Å in unintercalated material to 21 Å in the intercalated material.
Thus NCH, is a “polymer based molecular composite” or “nanometer composite”. NCH, when injection-molded, shows excellent properties as compared to nylon 6 in terms of tensile strength, tensile modulus and heat resistance. Heat distortion temperature increased from 65 °c for nylon 6 to 152 °c for NCH, containing 4 wt% (1.6 vol%) of clay mineral.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Presented in part at the 194th National Meetings of American Chemical Society, New Orleans, La., August 1987, Polymer Preprint 28, 447 (1987).
M. I.Kohan Ed., “Nylon Plastics”, Interscience, New York 1973.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Okada, A., Kawasumi, M., Usuki, A. et al. Nylon 6–Clay Hybrid. MRS Online Proceedings Library 171, 45–50 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-171-45
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-171-45