New hybrid nanocomposites based on an organophilic clay and poly(styrene-b-butadiene) copolymers

The preparation, by direct melt intercalation, and the properties of new hybrid organic-inorganic nanocomposites, consisting of a commercial sample of poly(styrene-b-butadiene) copolymer (SBS) and a commercial organophilic clay containing the dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium salt are described. In addition, several mixtures between the same copolymer and an unfunctionalized clay were prepared and studied. XRD spectra showed a partial insertion of the SBS block copolymer segments in the interlayers of the organophilic clay, accompanied by a loss of correlation within the layers. The degree of insertion increased by annealing the nanocomposites at 120 degrees C for increasing time periods. No interaction between the polymer matrix and the unfunctionalized clay was found. The storage modulus value, in the plateau region between the glass transition processes of the polybutadiene and the polystyrene blocks, and the glass transition temperature of the polystyrene block domain increase as both the organophilic clay content and the annealing time increase. The glass transition process of the polybutadiene block domain is practically unaffected by the filler content and the annealing treatments, These data are most promising for upgrading the thermo-mechanical behavior and the application temperature window of the SBS thermoplastic elastomers through the preparation of nanocomposites employing suitably designed organophilic clays.