Organophilic Boehmite nanoparticles by ATRP methacrylates polymerization: synthesis, characterization and dispersion in polypropylene.

Boehmite nanoparticles covered with a polymer shell enhancing the organophilicity of the surface were prepared by physical adsorption of a polyelectrolyte atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) macroinitiator followed by graft-polymerization of methyl methacrylate or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The presence of polymer chains adsorbed/grafted on the Boehmite was confirmed by attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy and by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), which showed a significant amount of polymer covering the particles. The methodology of polymerization and the kinetics suggested the possibility to modulate the amount, type and thickness of grafted polymer shell.

Oxygen and water vapor barrier properties of MMT nanocomposites from low density polyethylene or EPM with grafted succinic groups.

LDPE, EPM and their derivatives containing a moderate amount (0.08-1.8 by mol) of diethylsuccinate or succinic anhydryde groups were used as matrices in blending with different amount of organophilic montmorillonites and the resulting composite morphology and structure (by XRD, SEM, TEM microscopy, DSC analysis and selective solvent extraction) were studied with reference to the polar groups/MMT ratio.