Montmorillonite clay/poly(methyl methacrylate) hybrid resin and its barrier property to the plasticizer within poly(vinyl chloride) composite

A poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-clay hybrid resin was prepared via bulk polymerization methyl methacrylate monomer in the presence of montmorilloni te intercalated with an ammonium salt of dctadecylamine. The products were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, pyrolysis gas ch romatography, and transmission electron microscopy. Results confirm that th e resin is intercalated with PMMA molecules. The layer spacing of montmoril lonite are enlarged, whereas the silicate layers are homogeneously disperse d individually. When the PMMA-clay hybrid was blended with plasticized poly (vinyl chloride), the resulting composite exhibited excellent barrier prope rty in preventing the plastizer's migration from the inner matrix to the su rface of the product. This is presumably caused by barrier property of the silicate layers dispersed in the composite. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc .