Preparation of kenyaite/epoxy nanocomposite from pulverization of kenyaite

Abstract

Pulverization characteristics of H-kenyaite in vibration mill and exfoliation property in epoxy of pulverized H-kenyaite was investigated by using XRD, SEM, TEM. and particle size analyzer. Pulverization was conducted for 0.5-5 h. The particle morphology of sample pulverized for 1 h preserved plate-shape. However, this plate-shape disappeared in the sample pulverized for 3 h. The XRD pattern of sample pulverized for 1 h showed the characteristic peak of H-kenyaite. However, the peak disappeared in samples pulverized above 3 h, indicating severe destruction of H-kenyaite structure. TEM analysis for the kenyaite/epoxy nanocomposites exhibited only gallery expansion of 3-5 nm in non-pulverized sample, but dramatical large expansion of 5-10 nm in the samples pulverized during 1 h. This results confirm that the pulverization of wide plates composed of H-kenyaite particle have largely affect on the formation of an exfoliated kenyaite-polymer nanocomposite.