Synthesis of clay nanocomposite materials by light-induced crosslinking polymerization

Different types of nanocomposite materials have been synthetized within seconds at ambient temperature, by photoinitiated crosslinking polymerization, of epoxy, vinyl ether and acrylate-based resins containing a small amount (3 wt%) of an organoclay filler. The curing process was followed quantitatively by infrared spectroscopy through the decrease upon UV exposure of the IR bands characteristic of the functional groups. The silicate nanoparticles were found to have no effect on the polymerization kinetics. The UV-cured nanocomposites proved to be more flexible and impact resistant than the corresponding microcomposites. This method of synthesis of nanocomposites presents the advantages associated with the UV-curing technology, namely a solvent-free resin transformed rapidly at ambient temperature into a chemically resistant material, with a minimum consumption of energy. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.