High molecular weight functionalized polypropylenes as controlled architecture compatibilizers for polypropylene layered silicates nanocomposites

PP based layered silicates nanocomposites (PP-LSN) were prepared, by melt intercalation technique, by using PP grafted with maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) as coupling agent. The effect of MW and FD values of different PP-g-MAH samples on clay dispersion was investigated. These PP-g-MAH samples were obtained by using butyl 3-(2-furyl) propenoate (BFA) as coagent during the radical functionalization of PP with MAH in order to avoid the polymer degradation. The obtained materials, differing from FD and MW were employed as polymer matrices for the preparation of nanocomposites. Successively, PP-LSN were prepared by using PP as matrix and 5 phr of the above high MW compatibilizers. Morphological, thermal, mechanical and thermo-mechanical analyses of the nanocomposites pointed out that the higher MW PP-g-MAH allows to achieve simultaneously a good intercalation within the filler and a significant compatibilization with neat PP chains, leading to high performance PP-LSN.