ARS | Publication request: PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF EPOXIDIZED SOYBEAN OIL/CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES

Submitted to: Materials Research Society Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 20, 2004
Publication Date: April 20, 2004
Citation: Liu, Z., Erhan, S.Z., Xu, J. 2004. Preparation, characterization and mechanical properties of epoxidized soybean oil/clay nanocomposites. Materials Research Society Proceedings. p. 322.

Technical Abstract: In recent years the interest in nanoscale materials was inspired by the fact that nanoscale materials often exhibited physical and chemical properties that were dramatically different from their bulk counterparts. One of the most promising composite systems would be organic polymers and inorganic clay minerals consisting of silicate layers. The polymers prepared from readily available renewable resources have become increasingly important. The advantages of these polymers are their low cost, mostly biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Among products from agricultural resources, natural oils may constitute raw materials useful in polymer synthesis. In this study we report the preparation, characterization and mechanical properties of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO)/clay nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were taken for the characterization of formed nanocomposites. We also performed viscoelastic property measurement to get storage modulus (G') and glass transition temperature of these materials. Tensile test was performed to study how the presence of nanofillers alters the mechanical properties of nanocomposites.