Utilização de argilas esmectíticas modificadas na síntese de nanocompósitos poliméricos via polimerização in situ.

Abstract

This Doctorate Thesis describes the preparation of organoclays from raw clays Brasgel and Green-Sludge, which were used as charge materials to synthesis of nanocomposites via in situ suspension and in situ mass-suspension polymerization reactions. The organoclays characterization was carried out by making use of techniques of X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Thermal Analysis and Thermogravimetric Analysis (DTA/TGA), and analysis of adsorption of organic compounds (Adsorption Capacity and Foster’s experiment). The synthesis of nanocomposites poly (vinyl pivalate)/clays were performed from in-situ suspension polymerization reaction of vinyl pivalate with 2.5% w. and 5% w. of organoclays Brasgel or Green-Sludge, in which were organophilized by using the quaternary ammonium salts Praepagen®, Dodigen®, and Genamin®. The synthesis of nanocomposites poly (methyl methacrylate)/clays were realized from in-situ mass-suspension polymerization reaction of methyl methacrylate with 3% w. of raw clay Green-Sludge or organoclay Green-Sludge organophilized by using the quaternary ammonium salts Praepagen®, Dodigen®, and the mixer of these surfactants (Praepagen® + Dodigen®). The nanocomposites polymer/clay were characterized with the techniques XRD, FTIR, TGA, Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The characterization results have shown the intercalation of the cations from the quaternary ammonium salts (Praepagen®, Dodigen®, and Genamin®) within the raw clays (Green-Sludge and Brasgel) after the organophilization reaction. The results of FTIR and DTA indicate that the cations of the surfactants were incorporated in the raw clays, in which it is related the organophilization process. The results of adsorption capacity of organic compounds show that the organoclays Green-Sludge and Brasgel compared with its respective raw clay form have higher adsorption of organic compounds for all compounds analyzed. The Foster’s experiment shows that all the organoclays synthetized have high affinity with organic molecules for all compounds analyzed. The results of XRD analysis from in-situ suspension polymerization of vinyl pivalate/Brasgel raw clay or organoclays Green-Sludge have shown the clay-polymer interactions in intercalated and exfoliated forms. From TGA analysis has been observed a decreasing of the maximum temperature of degradation between 3°C and 10°C, as well the decreasing of the glass transition temperature (Tg) for the nanocomposites with 2.5% w. and 5% w. of clay in the polymeric matrix poly (vynil pivalate). By analyzing the nanocomposites synthetized from methyl methacrylate and Green-Sludge raw clay or organoclays, the results of DSC have shown that the glass transition temperature does not change with the presence of clays. The TGA analysis has demonstrated the occurrence of small variations of the maximum temperature of degradation. The SEM results indicate that the morphology of the nanocomposites synthetized from 3% w. of organoclay GreenSludge has smooth and spherical particles, which indicates the interaction between the clay within the polymeric matrix.