PROCESSING DEGRADATION OF POLYAMIDE 6 MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITES

摘要

Under injection molding conditions, typical of industrial processing, in-situ polymerized montmorillonite/polyamide 6 nanocomposites significantly degraded, producing a four-fold increase in ε-caprolactam (monomer) content and a significant reduction in number average molecular mass, as compared to the as-received nanocomposite. Degradation was believed to occur via peptide bond scission following attack by water that is most likely released from the polymer and the montmorillonite clay surface at the 300℃ (12.5 min) processing conditions. Under identical injection molding conditions, virgin polyamide 6 number average molecular mass did not decrease (within experimental uncertainty); however, a small increase in monomer content was observed. Characterization methods included solution ~(13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, gel-permeation chromatography, and thermal gravimetric analysis.