Layered polymer-kaolinite nanocomposites

Kaolinite (K) was reacted with liquid dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) producing K (DMSO)(0.4). Highly ordered polymer/kaolinite materials were obtained by di splacement of DMSO molecules in the K(DMSO)(0.4) intercalate by polyethylen e oxide (PEO) or bacterial polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), both in the melt stat e at 130 degrees C and 180 degrees C, respectively. The hybrid nanocomposit es obtained were characterized by powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD), Fouri er Transform Infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and thermal analysis (simultaneou s TG/DSC). The obtained results are consistent with the total replacement o f DMSO molecules by the macromolecular linear chains that lie flat building a monolayer of the polymer in the interlayer space of kaolinite. The stoic hiometry of the compounds estimated from the TG/DSC measurements are: K(DMS O)(0.40 +/- 0.02), K(PHB)(0.82 +/- 0.02), K(PEO)(3.40 +/- 0.02). (C) 2000 K luwer Academic Publishers.